The Fire Within Us
by XlittlefallingstarX
Summary: (Zuko X OC) Anika never wanted to be a firebender. She was a curse on her tribe, a bitter reminder of the violent attacks on her people. She carefully kept her powers bottled up inside until she stumbled upon a person who ignited the fire of her bending–and her heart
1. Prologue: Zuko

_**-Some time before the story begins-**_

Zuko passed Katara's limp body before stooping down and taking ahold of the Avatar's collar. He turned and noted that the waterbender was still breathing, alive but knocked out for the moment. He allowed himself to smirk with pride before picking the perfect words for a dramatic exit, perhaps wasted on his unconscious audience but with a nice flare all the same. "You rise with the moon. I rise with the sun."

"Let him go."

Zuko whirled around to find a Water Tribe girl standing on one of the wooden bridges behind him. He had seen her before, traveling in the Avatar's little gang of bodyguards. Past observation had taught him that she, like the boomerang boy, couldn't bend.

This would be over quickly.

"Aarahh!" Zuko thrust a fist forward, launching a ball of fire towards the girl. She didn't so much as flinch, reaching forward with her hands and parting the fire into two streams. The flames flowed around her and sizzled into nothing as they made contact with snow and water.

Zuko froze and gaped at the girl with wide eyes. She could... firebend? Impossible. The tan-skinned, brown-haired girl had been decked out in Water Tribe clothing since he had first seen her cowering with the others when he (quite literally) sailed into her southern tribe in search of the Avatar.

The girl took advantage of his moment of frozen shock and swiftly ran around the pond towards him. She leapt at the last second and rammed her shoulder into his chest. Zuko's fingers were torn from Aang's collar as he was sent flying through the air and onto his back, the girl sprawled on top of him. She rolled off and shot to her feet, sculpting a small ball of fire with her hand and hurling it at his face.

Zuko was up before it even hit the damp grass. He gripped her wrist and wrenched it downwards. "How are you doing this?" he hissed. Zuko focused the firebending energy that always flowed through him into his palm, heating it threateningly. To his surprise, the girl let out an agonized cry as her face twisted in pain. What he meant as a small show of aggression was clearly causing her a lot of pain.

One of the first lessons any respectable firebending instructor taught their students was how to take reasonable amounts of outside heat and channel it away to avoid major injury. This girl had obviously never had any sort of formal training. Zuko immediately stopped feeding heat into his palm and instead jutted his knee out, slamming it into her stomach.

The girl fell to her knees and gasped for breath as she clutched her middle. Zuko left her where she knelt and went to Aang. He picked the Avatar up and slung him over his shoulder.

"No!" The girl sent a small stream of flames in his direction as she struggled to her feet. Zuko outstretched the hand that wasn't holding onto his prize and easily sent the fire sputtering into the pond.

"Give up. You've. Lost," Zuko growled as he turned to leave.

"Never." Zuko didn't have to turn around to know that she had charged towards him. He groaned inwardly. You could say a lot of things about the Water Tribe minions the Avatar had wrapped around his little 112-year-old finger, but that they gave up easily wasn't one of them. He hadn't wanted to do this.

Zuko twisted at just the right moment, thrusting out his leg in a perfectly-executed sidekick. The force of the kick sent the girl flying back into a wooden post. She crumpled to the ground beside Katara, out cold.

Zuko re-positioned the Avatar so that the airbender was on his back before glancing back at the scene. Zuko usually never felt anything but grim pride when he viewed his defeated opponents after a fight, but this time a cold weight settled in his stomach. They were two girls no older than him, and their only crime was trying to protect their friend.

Zuko shook his head to clear his thoughts as he slipped away, angry at himself for being so weak. They would be fine, and now that he had the Avatar, so would he. Zuko filled his mind with images of his father welcoming him home with open arms as he trudged on into the cold dawn.

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This is my first ATLA fanfic, but I hope you guys are enjoying it so far! :) I obviously don't own any part of the Avatar universe or the characters in it.

*note: while this piece does reference events that occurred in the post-TV show comics, some situations have been skipped over or changed to allow for a more smooth, interesting storyline


	2. Chapter 1: Anika

_-A year and a half later-_

Anika sighed as she shifted through the pile of papers in front of her. Complaints and requests from the Water Tribes swam around her vision until they all seemed to blur together.

When Zuko had asked her to be a Fire Nation diplomat to the Water Tribes, she had pictured herself traveling to the poles, engaging in important discussions with Water Tribe officials, maybe even having a feast or two thrown in her honor someday. Turns out it was mostly just a bunch of paperwork behind a stuffy desk. It was a lot for a sixteen-year-old to be in charge of, but it was hard to complain when the ruler of the nation was barely more than a year older, having just turned eighteen.

"Hey, Anika." Anika's head snapped up at the now-familiar voice. Her stomach did a little flip of excited happiness as her gaze settled on the Fire Lord. It did that a lot lately when she saw Zuko, now that she thought about it. It was weird how a year ago her insides churned with hatred at the mere thought of him, and now they just exploded with annoyingly distracting butterflies.

Anika mentally slapped herself even as her face warmed with a blush. _Get yourself together, Anika. He has a girlfriend._ She pushed her chair away from her desk slightly and leaned back into it as she smiled up at Zuko. "Hey, Sifu Hotman."

Zuko made a face. "Spirits, not you too. It's annoying enough with just Aang calling me that."

"Hey, oh great and mighty Fire Lord." Anika stifled a laugh. "Better?"

Zuko smiled good-naturedly as he sat in the chair across from her desk. "Much, but you're supposed to stand and bow when addressing the Fire Lord, so..."

"Okay, now you're pushing it." Anika scooted her chair back up against the desk and picked up a sheet of paper. "So how does a Fire Lord such as yourself have the time to check in on a simple diplomat during the busiest time of day?"

"Uncle said I needed to clear my mind, so he made me take a break while he steps in for the day." Zuko let the air out of his cheeks as he leaned back in his chair to gaze numbly at the ceiling. "I'd go see Mai, but she's giving me the silent treatment over something stupid. You're the only real friend my age staying at the palace right now, so here I am."

He rubbed a hand across his face. "Honestly, you've got the easy stuff with the Water Tribe affairs. We've been trying to pry the Fire Nation colonies from the Earth Kingdom for months now, and it's slow work. My people are furious at me for supposedly taking the wrong side. They say I'm uprooting them from their homes and destroying Fire Nation progress."

Zuko suddenly sat up straight. He clenched a fist and slammed it into his open palm in a sudden display of anger. "I've spent my entire life dreaming of how much I'd help my country when I came to power, and now that I'm here, everyone hates me."

"Don't say that." Anika's heart squeezed inside her chest at the desperation she found in his eyes. "They love you."

Zuko stood up, staring blankly at the wall behind her. "There was another attempt on my life last night," he stated, voice cold and emotionless. "Funny way of showing love."

Anika swallowed. "That's the fourth time, isn't it?"

"Fifth."

Anika stood and walked around the desk, then placed her hands on the edge and leaned back against it. She studied Zuko with concern. "I'm sure it's just the transition period between a terrible Fire Lord and an amazing one. Things will die down."

"Yeah, maybe." Zuko frowned before switching the subject. "I really have been cooped up in this palace too much. It's driving me insane." The stress lifted from his features as a sly grin crossed his face. "How about I help you with your firebending in the courtyard? A little sparring sounds like fun."

Anika glared at him. "I don't firebend."

"Yes, you do." Zuko made a little flame in his palm and flicked it teasingly in her direction.

Anika yelped, catching it in both of her hands and killing it with a poof of smoke. "Cut it out!"

"Sorry. It's just that I've only seen you bend, err, that one day at the Northern Tribe and never again."

"Oh yeah, good times," Anika snapped sarcastically. "I shouldn't have done it then, but something came over me when I had to bend your first attack."

"Why are you so against it? You wouldn't even let me teach you when I was instructing Aang last summer." Anika could tell that the already-tense Fire Lord was getting frustrated. "Don't you think your father would want you to give it a try?"

Anika stiffened. "How do you know about my father?" she snapped.

Zuko did a double take at her reaction before saying, "Katara told me your dad was from the Fire Nation. She said your Water Tribe mother died when you were born, so he did what he thought was best for you and gave you to her mom, then left." Zuko raised his hands defensively. "That's all I know, I swear."

Anika relaxed slightly. So Katara had mostly told him lies, then. Good–anything was better than the truth. She took a deep breath. "Whatever. I don't give a crap about what my father would have wanted. I just don't bend, alright?"

"Fine." Zuko turned on his heel and stormed towards the door. "I'll just go sit in my room, I guess."

"Zuko, wait." Anika battled inwardly with herself as Zuko stopped in his tracks, listening but not turned around. She hated seeing him in such a bad mood, especially when there was something she could do to make things better. "...I guess going over some basics couldn't hurt."

Zuko turned, a rare beam on his face. Anika's heart swelled with happiness at the look he gave her even as her stomach sank with dread. "Awesome. Meet you in the courtyard in ten minutes." With that, he was gone.

Anika groaned and buried her head in her hands. If she was better at controlling her stupid crushes, this wouldn't be happening. What had she gotten herself into?

* * *

 _Thanks for reading! Comments and/or constructive criticism make my day :D_


	3. Chapter 2: Zuko

Zuko tightened the sash on the old tunic he had worn while training Aang and rolled his shoulders in relief. His royal robes looked impressive, but they weren't the most comfortable things to wear all day long. This would be better for a quick firebending session with Anika.

"Fire Lord Zuko?" One of his bodyguards rapped on the door to his room. "I'm sorry to bother you, sir, but former Admiral Kuzen is here to speak with you."

Zuko cursed under his breath. Not again. Suddenly he wished he hadn't changed out of his Fire Lord robes; he needed to look intimidating. Well, too late for that.

Zuko took a deep breath and cracked open the door to his room, slipping out into the hallway and easing it shut behind him. No need to show Kuzen his less-than-tidy quarters.

He gave the former admiral his best cold stare. "I am occupied at the moment. Any issue you have can be taken up with Iroh."

Kuzen smirked as he looked Zuko up and down, taking in his casual attire. "Yes, I can see that you are _very_ busy. I have no wish to speak with that old fool, so I came here. But to get to the point. You need to take me back."

"We've been over this, Kuzen. The answer is no." Zuko tried to keep his voice calm and level. "Your methods during the war were despicable. Blackmail. Torture." Zuko clenched his fists. "Using fresh Fire Nation troops as bait–the list goes on. I have no place for those tactics in my army."

Kuzen snorted. "But you do have a place for commanders with very little experience and soft simpletons like Iroh as your advisors. You're a fool, Zuko. A weak, air-headed fool who is bringing the once-great Fire Nation to its knees!"

Zuko closed his eyes momentarily as his temper threatened to flare. "My advisors are experienced warriors who possess something you and your fellow tyrants never did: souls. Now get out of my sight."

Kuzen clenched his fists as his dark brown eyes flashed dangerously. "I'm warning you, Zuko. If you don't come to your senses and take back the wise commanders who once served this great nation, you and everyone you love will know suffering."

Zuko bristled. His fists ignited in flames almost involuntarily. "Is that a threat, Kuzen?"

Kuzen conjured a dancing flame in his hand and studied it musingly. "It's a fact. Take it as you see fit."

"Get out of my palace. Step foot in here again and I'll have you banished."

Kuzen's face suddenly contorted in rage. He raised his fist and sent a wall of fire toward him. Zuko easily parted the flames away from himself as his two bodyguards grabbed each of Kuzen's arms. "The dungeons, Fire Lord?"

"No," Zuko spat. "Those are for actual criminals, not simple scum." Kuzen snarled in response, but Zuko ignored him. "Kindly show the esteemed Kuzen to the door. He won't be returning if he has any desire to stay in this nation."

Zuko turned on his heel and stormed off towards the courtyards. It would have been wisest to throw Kuzen in prison, but Zuko had to hold on to his pride. He wanted to make a point: the Fire Lord was not afraid of his opposers and saw no need to restrain them in a jail cell.

"Someone looks grumpy. More than usual, I mean," Anika smirked as he approached her. She was leaning against a straw dummy, and Zuko took a moment to take her in.

While she appeared to be a normal Water Tribe girl at first glance, further inspection revealed little Fire Nation characteristics mingled in her features. Her skin was lighter than Katara's or Sokka's, the shade somewhere between light brown skin of her mother's heritage and the often pale skin of her father's. Shapely black eyebrows complimented her dark brown hair. She didn't have blue or golden eyes, but rather deep brown ones that had a whisper of the almond shape Zuko was familiar with.

She really was beautiful, now that he thought about it. Not that it mattered. He never dwelt on that sort of thing with anyone but Mai for his personal safety. He swore that woman could read minds.

"It's nothing. Let's just get to firebending." Zuko outstretched an arm toward her expectantly. "Hand." Anika gave it to him. Zuko took his free hand and placed two fingers on the center of her palm. He carefully heated his fingertips so they were somewhat hot, but not uncomfortably so.

"Okay. Focus on that heat. Try to take ahold of it, kinda like how you can control flames thrown at you by an opponent. You're trying to take the heat energy and spread it through your body so it's not painfully concentrated in one area. Am I making sense?"

"More or less." Anika furrowed her brow and glared down at their hands as she tried to focus.

Zuko felt the warmth under his fingertips slip away as she got the hang of it. "Good! Soon this should be second nature. It'll help you when blocking attacks and even with handling your own fire better. You use a more complicated version of the same technique to avoid burning yourself when breathing fire or something similar. Let's try it with a little more heat this time."

Zuko grasped Anika's hand as if he was about to shake it and concentrated gentle heat into his whole hand, gradually increasing the temperature bit by bit as soon as he was sure she could handle it.

"Can I ask you a question?" Anika grinned proudly as a thin strand of steam curled up from their hands.

Satisfied, Zuko released her hand and dusted off his palm. "Go for it."

"Why do you care about this? There are better things you could be doing with your time than teaching a stubborn person like me how to firebend."

"Are there?" Zuko conjured a fire in his hand and nodded at Anika, gesturing for her to do the same. She managed to produce a respectable amount of flames. "I can't think of any."

Zuko casually tossed the flame from hand to hand. Anika attempted to copy him, only to have the fire dissapear in a puff of smoke as she tried to transfer it. She immediately produced another ball of flames and tried again. Zuko sighed. "In case you haven't noticed, the Fire Nation is a mess right now. Too many of my people are used to being at war, trying to take over the world. I need more firebenders who will use their abilities to protect and defend instead of terrorize and destroy. Benders like you."

Zuko thought he saw Anika blush, but it could also have been the fact that she had just tossed her ball of fire way too close to her face, narrowly avoiding burning off her eyebrows. He laughed and lowered his hands. "That's enough practice for one day. If you want, I could ask my uncle to train you regularly since I'm busy most of the time. He'll be staying in the palace for the next month, fortifying security and stocking up on tea or whatever it is that Uncle does."

Zuko waited for her response, silently pleading with his eyes. _Say yes. You'll be a good bender, I know it._ Anika sighed. "Alright, you win. I'll give it a shot."

Zuko grinned. "Great! I'll-"

"Zuko!"

The Fire Lord turned to find Mai standing at the edge of the courtyard, arms crossed. He frowned. "So you're speaking to me again, huh?"

"Be quiet and get over here. I need to show you something."

Zuko gave Anika an apologetic shrug before jogging over. "Yeah, Mai?" he murmured quietly so as not to be overheard. "We were in the middle of–"

Mai cut him off by reaching over and taking ahold of the sides of his head with both hands, bringing his face to hers. Their lips interlocked as Mai gave him one of the most intense kisses they'd ever shared. After a long, blissful moment, she pulled away and gave him a satisfied look. Zuko's face felt warm, and he found himself smiling. "What was that for?"

"Oh, just appreciating my boyfriend." As she spoke, Mai turned her head and gazed steadily at Anika. Zuko glanced back and forth between the two. What was going on? It was like they were having a conversation through stares of varying intensities. After a few moments, Anika turned and left for the palace, casually flicking her hand at a dummy as she left. It's head exploded in flames.

Zuko blinked in shock even as Mai shook her head with a smirk. "Some people."

"...Right." Zuko allowed Mai to pull him in the opposite direction, still feeling like he'd missed something.

 _Girls._


	4. Chapter 3: Anika

"Rise and shine, Anika! You have a firebending lesson with Iroh in a couple minutes." Anika groggily opened her eyes and fixed them on her adoptive sister. Katara was cheerfully opening the curtains in her room, filling the space with a sickening amount of over-bright light.

Anika groaned and buried her head into her pillow. Her next words were muffled. "So you heard about that."

"Who hasn't? I'm glad you're finally accepting your bending." Katara's voice softened. "It'll be good for you and help you move past some things."

"Eh. Maybe." Anika forced herself into a sitting position and began to tug her pants on over the undergarments she slept in. "So, what are you even doing at the palace? I thought you, Sokka, and Aang were helping move Fire Nation colonies from the Earth Kingdom."

Katara nodded. "We got all the new colonies out. Soon we'll begin working on the older, more stubborn ones that have been in the Earth Kingdom for decades. We wanted to stop by the palace to touch base with Zuko, and we even brought Toph along. Everyone's missed you since you decided to settle down here."

"What can I say? Palace life suits me," Anika joked as she pulled her tunic on. It was a deep blue with gold lining and embroidery tracing through it like little bursts of fire. Anika thought it matched her identity as a firebending Water Tribe girl pretty well. "This diplomat position feels like my calling. I'm helping join a divided world into peace in my own way. But I've missed you guys, too. Let's all eat breakfast together after I tell Iroh I changed my mind about the training."

"Anika, y-"

"Katara, don't." Anika cut her off before she could argue. "I thought it over and I just can't."

"Okay," Katara murmured, disappointment creeping into the word.

Anika twisted her lips into a smile as she quickly ran a brush through her flowing locks. "Thanks for understanding, little sis." She gave Katara a quick hug as she passed, then stepped out into the now-familiar halls of the palace. It took her mere minutes to navigate her way through the elaborately winding halls and to the room Iroh was staying in. Zuko, Sokka, and Toph were all gathered in front of the door, grinning at her expectantly.

Anika sighed. "Guys-"

"Once you're a firebending master, the first thing you have to do is burn the crap out of Zuko's feet," Toph interrupted her.

"Yeah, Mr. Oh-look-at-me-I'm-the-Fire-Lord definitely needs a reality check," Sokka agreed with an elbow into Zuko's ribs.

"Hey! I'm the Fire Lord, buddy. You can't touch me without kissing my feet first." Anika couldn't help but smile at their antics. They were dorks, but she loved them all the same.

Just then, the door opened and Iroh gazed out, sternly shaking his head at the little group. "What is going on out here? Firebending requires an immense amount of concentration. You all will have to leave until the lesson has concluded. Here." Iroh passed out cups of tea to the three lurkers. "These will help you wake up. Now Shoo."

Anika's friends grumbled, but they trailed off anyway. Iroh smiled warmly at Anika and opened the door wider. "My nephew tells me you would like to learn some firebending basics."

Anika nodded and entered the room. A neat bed and dresser were on one side of the spacious room, and on the other stood a short table set with two teacups and a teapot. "I did, but I'm not so sure again."

Iroh smiled gently as if that was what he had been expecting to hear. "I see. Then perhaps we should discuss the matter over a warming cup of tea."

"I could go for one of those." Anika settled onto one of the cushions beside the table as Iroh took the opposite.

The old man picked up his cup and sipped it slowly and before sighing in content. "I have made many cups of jasmine tea over the years, but I must say this is one of the very best."

Anika took her cup into her hands and sipped. It really was good. The warmth from the hot drink spread throughout her body, calming her conflicted mind and slowing her nervous heartbeat.

"Now." Iroh took another sip from his cup. "A firebender of sixteen years does not go her entire life purposely not learning her art without cause."

"I have my reasons." Anika swallowed hard, gripping her teacup with white knuckles.

Iroh nodded. "You don't have to tell me anything, but I find I can best sort through my thoughts while confiding my troubles in someone I trust. And many people have told me that I am an excellent listener."

Anika nodded silently. She stared hard at the slowly swirling water of her tea for at least a minute before she found her voice. "During the early years of the war, Fire Nation raiders came to my village on several occasions to imprison every last waterbender remaining. My mother was the first waterbender born after all the benders were wiped out. It was only a matter of time before the Fire Nation found out, and a raider ship came and captured her when she was twenty. The commander took a liking to his prisoner, and when they got back to the ship, he..." Anika's voice died out. She couldn't finish the sentence, and she didn't need to. She turned her head to the side, not wanting to know the expression on Iroh's face. "And, yeah. She managed to escape the ship before it was too far away, and he let her go. Nine months later I was born."

Anika took a sip of the tea, hoping it would clear the bitter taste that had suddenly filled her mouth. "My biological mother looked right into my brown eyes after I was born and immediately didn't want me. I don't blame her. I wouldn't want me either. So Kya took me. She had just had Sokka, and she said another baby would be easy enough to handle. When Sokka and I were almost a year old, the ship came back. They came for my biological mom again, and this time they made sure she didn't escape." Anika took a shaky breath. "I never knew the truth until years later."

"I had my suspicions," Iroh murmured gently. "You have to understand that your father's evil actions are no more your fault than Ozai's actions were my nephew's fault. I sense much guilt in your words, and you should let it go."

Anika nodded absentmindedly. She wasn't finished. She set down her teacup, got to her feet, and paced up and down the room. "I still remember the first time I used firebending. I must have been four or five, and I was sitting outside, conjuring up a flame in my palms and laughing. Katara was there. She was still a toddler, so she was giggling too and reaching for the fire. My mom, that is, Kya came out of our hut and screamed. She snatched Katara away and looked at me like–like I was some kind of monster. I was startled, so I stopped and started crying."

Anika realized tears were running down her face and she swiped at them angrily with her sleeve. "Kya took me in her arms and calmed me down, but then explained that I must never make fire ever again. I tried to obey, but it was like the flames were burning me up from the inside. I had to bend. I'd sneak out when everyone was sleeping and blast fire into the snow to get it out of my system. And then, when I was nine, another raid took place. For the first time, I saw what my fellow firebenders were like."

Anika stopped pacing and clenched her fists. Tears flowed freely down her face, and she didn't stop them this time. "Burning. Destroying. Enjoying everything. They killed Kya and left."

Anika felt Iroh's hand on her shoulder, and it gave her what she needed to croak out the last few words. "The need to bend disappeared after that day, and I never did again."

"I'm so sorry." Before Anika could reply, Iroh pulled her into a hug. Anika let herself be held in the comforting embrace as the tears continued to fall. She had only really known Iroh for a year, but during that time the man had never failed to surprise her with his seemingly endless amounts of patience and compassion.

The tears ebbed, and Iroh gently pulled away and sat back down on his cushion. He silently refilled their cups of tea. Anika settled back down and took her cup, sipping it thoughtfully as she pieced together her composure. "I always associated firebending with evil and destruction, but I agreed to learn it because watching you and Zuko gave me hope that maybe it could mean something else."

"It's true that fire can be used for the wrong purposes, but so can any other element." Iroh looked steadily into Anika's eyes as he spoke. "Fire by nature isn't necessarily harmful. It provides warmth, light, and purification. It cooks our food until it's safe to consume and heats delicious tea. It can be used to manipulate and destroy, or it can be used to create and protect. That choice is left up to the person who wields the fire. Zuko knows that we need more of the second type of bender, and he also knows you are wise and kind enough to be one. But this is your decision and yours only. I will not teach you today. Think it over. If you do not wish to improve your firebending abilities, then I will understand completely."

"And if I do?"

Iroh gave Anika a knowing smile. "Then I'll see you in the courtyard bright and early tomorrow morning."


	5. Chapter 4: Zuko

"...Then I'll see you in the courtyard bright and early tomorrow morning." Zuko straightened, moving his ear from the door. That sounded a lot like parting words.

He turned and trotted down the hallway towards his war room, where he should have been at a good ten minutes ago. Oh well. What were they going to do, fire him? He mentally kicked himself for using that kind of logic. Letting yourself feel too invincible and superior was a slippery slope to nowhere good. Not that he was being a model of morals lately.

Zuko hadn't meant to eavesdrop at first–he'd just forgotten to explain to his uncle what he and Anika had worked on and thought it'd be helpful if he quickly went over things. He'd put his ear to the door for a moment to make sure he wouldn't be interrupting anything important, and one thing had just led to another.

Zuko stopped beside his war room, straightening the flame in his topknot and smoothing his robes before entering. "Fire Lord Zuko." An advisor gave him a sharp look as he crossed the stage and took his throne at the front of the room. "We are ecstatic that you decided to show up."

Zuko didn't miss a beat. "Likewise, Rozin. I was worried that after I beat you so badly in Pai Sho yesterday you'd be too ashamed to attend."

Zuko smiled inwardly at the small chorus of chuckles that followed his statement. Gaining respect as the youngest Fire Lord in history wasn't easy, but his 'say something Iroh would say to look like you have your shit together' method almost never failed him.

He waited for the laughter to die down before snapping into full Fire Lord mode. "General Mak. Status report on the Harmony Restoration Movement?" Mak stood. "We're making progress, but it's slow and meticulous. The Fire Nation colonies are deeply rooted in the Earth Kingdom, and..."

Zuko zoned out as the general droned on, weary from having heard the same speech before. His mind immediately wandered to the conversation he'd just overheard. He was an idiot. The thought that Anika could be the result of an assault instead of a consensual relationship had never crossed his mind until today. If he ever found the man responsible... Zuko clenched his fists. He'd regret ever being born.

He had to admit though, her story had explained a lot. Suddenly Anika's infuriating resolve to never firebend made more sense. She hadn't been brought up as a Fire Nation royal with tutors and instructors encouraging her to explore her talents–quite the opposite. Zuko felt his stomach twist angrily. He hated how bad she felt about everything. Anika was kind, loyal, talented, and beautiful; she didn't deserve–

"Fire Lord, requesting permission to make a suggestion." Zuko flushed and snapped out of his thoughts. Mak had finished, and the officials were looking at him expectantly. _Focus, Zuko_.

"Permission granted, General Akari."

Akari rose from where she knelt on her mat. "It would wise to establish strong alliances with the water tribes to prevent war and gain allies in times of trouble. I propose you and your diplomats travel to the north pole for a week during the soonest possible time of inactivity."

General Mak raised an eyebrow. "The Fire Lord should be focusing on his dealings with the Earth Kingdom. Matters are much more dire there."

General Akari squared her shoulders. "With all due respect, Mak, we've already made peace with Earth King Kuei. As for the colonies, you yourself said progress is slow. The status of matters will remain relatively the same over the course of the week or so it will take for a diplomat trip. If anything, the fact that the water tribes aren't necessarily set against us will work to our advantage in terms of strategy. Confirming an alliance is a crucial move."

Zuko nodded. Appointing a woman as a general was one of his more controversial moves, but Akari had not yet given him reason to regret the decision. "I approve. Akari, see to it that a small fleet is prepared to launch in a month's time. I will have my diplomats extend the idea to the Northern Water Tribe. Now. Admiral Zenku, how are matters as far as weapon inventory and soldier count?"

Zenku stood and Zuko settled into his throne, bracing himself for the hour or so of monotone, uneventful reports that these meetings usually consisted of. At least he'd have his daydreams to keep him company.

 _This chapter and the following one are both really short, so I'm giving the next to you tomorrow even through I usually only post twice a week :)_


	6. Chapter 5: Anika

_-One month later-_

"From the breath, not the muscles! You're too tense!"

"I'm trying!" Anika stepped forward and shot a short blast of red-hot flames from her fist.

"That's your problem." Iroh toed her knee into the correct position and moved her arm more in center before stepping back and nodding approvingly. "You need to relax more. Breathe. Feel the bending energy moving inside of you. Listen to it. Feed it."

Anika raised herself out of fighting stance and threw her hands in the air. "Feed it?! With what, fire flakes?"

"What have I been saying this whole time? With your breath! You're worse than Zuko."

Anika crossed her arms over her chest. "Wow, thanks."

Iroh scrunched up his face, thinking. "I take that back. No one is worse than Zuko." He chuckled to himself, amused at his own comment. "But hey! I'm impressed with your punches and kicks. I hardly need to change them at all."

Anika smirked. "Saving the Avatar from stupid situations without using bending will give you pretty good form, believe it or not."

With that, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath in. Anika concentrated on the air filling her lungs and traveling trough her body, filling her with life. Slowly, she exhaled. The air released itself into the atmosphere, and she could sense it almost tingling with energy as it left her body.

In.

Out.

In.

OUT! She launched forward as she exhaled and channeled the energy down her torso, through her thigh and calf, and out of her foot as she thrust her leg into a high side kick. A huge blast of fire spewed into the air, roaring with power.

Iroh grinned proudly even as he beat out a couple stray embers in his beard. "Excellent! And it only took you a month to grasp the concept."

Anika raised her eyebrow, reigning in a round of giddy laughter. "Is that sarcasm?"

Iroh shrugged. "You decide. I learned it faster, but it took Zuko sixteen years. He's a naturally tense person."

"I am NOT!" Zuko glared at Iroh from across the courtyard as he passed by.

"Of course you aren't! I meant Azula. _Azula_ is a naturally tense person." Iroh winked at Anika as she raised a hand to her mouth to conceal a giggle. "Certainly not my level-headed nephew."

Zuko groaned angrily. "Very funny! I don't have time for this. We're leaving for the north pole tomorrow and there are too many last-minute preparations!" With that, he dissapeared into the palace.

Iroh blinked in surprise. "What's his problem? Something is troubling my nephew, or he would not act in such a manner." Iroh furrowed his brow and bowed his head. "Perhaps he is just anxious about the trip, as I am."

"You're worried about it?" Anika tilted her head, studying her teacher's creased face with concern.

Iroh sighed. "I'm not sure how you will be received. You were there yourself when the Fire Nation tried to take over not so long ago. They have agreed to let you come, but they might not be quick to forget."

"Surely they won't hold Ozai's actions against Zuko?" Anika protested warily.

Iroh put a smile on his face, but it didn't quite reach his eyes. "You're probably right. Still, it would ease my mind if you kept an eye on him- and yourself."

Anika smiled. "I'm flattered, but Zuko's a better fighter than I am. He can take care of himself. Besides, he'll have an entire security detail as well."

Iroh put a hand on Anika's shoulder. "I'm sure that's true, but at the same time, do not underestimate your own skill and worth. You've excelled past my greatest expectations this past month of training. Stay alert at all times. Now." Suddenly Iroh was his old self. "Let's work on your breath of fire." He shuddered playfully. "You'll need it up there."

* * *

 _I realize this has been pretty short on the romantic stuff, but it's coming, I promise. Patience, young grasshoppers. :P_


	7. Chapter 6: Zuko

"Here." Iroh pushed a basket into Zuko's hands. "I threw together some things for your trip. Supplies to make tea, a couple snacks, a-"

Zuko set the basket down beside him on the ship and cut off Iroh by pulling him into a quick embrace. "I'll be fine, uncle. Don't worry."

Iroh looked like he might start tearing up at any moment, and Zuko anxiously eyed the crowd of subjects that had collected at the harbor to see the convoy off. This wasn't the time for teary goodbyes. "I know you will; just watch out for yourself. Did you pack your thick socks? You know how cold it gets up there."

"Yeah, Zuko." Sokka nodded solemnly beside him. "Thick socks are an absolute essential if you can't take a little cold like a man."

Zuko rolled his eyes good-naturedly. "Don't make me regret inviting you."

He turned back to Iroh, who was still rambling on. "I'd come, but I've already been away from my tea shop for a month and I can't stand cold."

"I know. But we have to go; the captain is giving me dirty looks. I'll see you soon." Iroh circled his arms around Zuko's waist, and Zuko couldn't help but smile despite being slightly embarrassed. "I love you, Uncle. Make sure General Mak doesn't burn the palace down."

Iroh nodded, pulling himself from Zuko and wiping at his eyes. "You couldn't have made me prouder." With that, he turned and walked down the gangplank.

The captain let out a soft sigh. "Finally." The ship made final preparations before slowly pulling from the harbor. Zuko waved graciously at the crowd, then retreated into the ship and entered his quarters.

He shut the door behind him with a sigh and wearily crossed the room. Zuko plopped down on his bed, laying an arm over his eyes as he rested his head against the pillow. It'd been a terrible week, and he was just happy to be getting away from his kingdom for a bit. Sokka and Anika were the only people he knew well that were coming along, and he wouldn't have it any other way. He needed some space from the people who counted on him while he tried to figure himself out.

A knock sounded on his door. Zuko stifled a groan. "Yes?"

"Diplomat Anika has a message for you, Fire Lord. She says it's urgent."

Zuko didn't move from his position lying on the bed with his sleeve covering his face. "Let her in, then." The door opened and closed with a click. "What is it?" Zuko mumbled.

"The sages wanted me to alert you about a critical issue. It would seem that the Fire Lord has become incapable of sitting up and looking at people when they greet him with news."

"Ha. Ha. Anika, you've seen me when I was a-" Zuko took his free arm and waved it vaguely in the air. "Angry ponytail guy and attacking you with fire blasts. There's no coming back from that. Formalities are wasted energy at this point."

"Someone's a little ball of sunshine today." Anika said, irritation lacing her words. "I just thought I'd let you know that Mai dissapeared last night and no one knows where she went."

"She went to go live with her aunt," Zuko informed Anika immediately. "Left yesterday right after she broke up with me."

"Zuko, I-I didn't know. I'm sorry."

"Yeah." Zuko moved his arm as he turned his back on Anika to face the wall. "I am too."

There was a moment of silence, then, "Did she say why? You guys seemed fine."

Zuko didn't say anything as he wrestled with himself in his mind. He wanted to vent, but the the thing he needed to get out of his system was something he wasn't proud of. He didn't want anyone to know about it. Then again, he was pretty sure Anika didn't want people to know about her past, and that hadn't stopped him from eavesdropping. He supposed trusting her with this would make them even on the whole 'secrets' thing.

He rolled over and sat up on the edge of his bed, gaze firmly fixed on his boots. "I've gone to my dad's prison cell a couple times for advice on how to rule. Mai was pissed that I didn't tell her about it and left."

Anika sat down beside him on the bed. "I see."

Zuko snapped his head up and looked at her in surprise. "That's it? No, 'Zuko, how could you? Your dad is the last person who you should be taking advice from! He'll turn you evil!' or anything?"

"Well, I could say that," Anika mused. She turned her head and looked into his eyes, steadily holding his gaze. "But you already know all those things, don't you?"

"Yeah." Zuko reached up and rubbed his eyes tiredly. "I guess I do."

Anika's next words were soft. "Then why did you do it?"

Zuko sighed. "I'm just so lost. I was banished when I was thirteen, Anika. I never prepared for the position of Fire Lord. I didn't have a chance to. All of a sudden I have so many expectations and responsibilities, and it's overwhelming. Every day I'm confronted with important decisions where there's no black and white solution–just gray areas. No matter what I do, a side ends up angry and disappointed. And then someone tries to assassinate me." Zuko pulled the golden flame from his topknot and turned it over in his hand. "My father may have been running things the wrong way, but he had things under control. He had respect. Sometimes I wonder..."

Zuko closed his eyes, ashamed of his next words. "Sometimes I wonder if being loved as a ruler really is better than being feared." He stood from the bed and paced up and down the room. "You can make everyone fear you, but you can't make everyone love you. There's just too many conflicting sides."

"Well, you have one thing right." Zuko stopped pacing as he took in her calm tone and his fears of being judged faded. It was kinda nice to have someone to talk to who took everything he said in stride. "Being feared is a lot easier than being loved. That's why so many cowards turn to it. But fear brings war, death, and hurt."

Anika stood and walked to him, then reached up. She momentarily cupped her hand against his face to touch his scar. "You know that firsthand. You've also seen things during your banishment that won't let you turn to that kind of leadership, even if it crosses your mind in your dark, confused moments. You're one of my best friends, Zuko. You're caring, loving, and wise. I can't think anyone more capable of leading the Fire Nation into a golden age of peace and prosperity."

Zuko's heart swelled as he looked at his friend. "You mean that?"

"Of course I do. And when things get rough, I'm always here to talk to and help as best as I can. All of your friends are."

"Thanks," Zuko murmured. He reached up and traced Anika's jaw with a finger as a sudden urge to kiss her swelled in his chest. No. He'd just broken up with his girlfriend yesterday. He couldn't kiss a girl who probably didn't even like him that way so soon afterwards. Even if she was kind and understanding and actually outrageously attractive-

Zuko blinked hard and quickly moved his hand to his side. He smiled wearily. "I think I'm going to try to get some sleep."

"Oh. Right, of course." Anika smiled and backed up towards the door. "You need your rest."

"Thanks for the talk. It really helped clear my head." Well, morally. Not exactly romantically.

Anika smiled as she opened the door to leave. "Any time, Zu."

* * *

 _Comment and/or follow if you enjoyed! :D_


	8. Chapter 7: Anika

Anika leaned forward on the railing at the bow of the ship and breathed in the refreshing smell of the ocean as cold sea spray sprinkled her face. It was funny how the place on the opposite side of the world was the area that smelled the most of her old home.

"Nice to be back at the poles, huh?" Anika turned her head and smiled at Sokka as he joined her at the bow.

"You're telling me. I missed this outfit, too." Anika rubbed the forearms of her favorite old parka, almost identical to Katara's. "The diplomat clothes are nice, but let's be honest, Water Tribe style is where it's at."

"Heck, yeah. And here I was thinking that my little sis had lost her sense of fashion." Sokka reached over and ruffled her hair for maximum annoying-ness.

"Cut it out!" Anika shoed his hand away before smoothing her hair as best as she could. "And don't call me that."

"Hey, I'm older than you by ten whole days, and it was my birthday the day before yesterday. I'm seventeen, you're sixteen. It's my right."

"Silly me." Anika gazed out across the water, searching for the escort canoes that should be appearing at any moment as they neared the Northern Tribe. They had been at sea for too long in her opinion, and she was itching to get on solid ground again. "Hey." Anika kept her eyes trained on the waves as she spoke. "Do you think you could keep the fact that I can firebend under wraps while we're here? I'm pretty sure they dont know, and I'm not sure if I'm ready for them to."

"If that's what you want." Anika could feel Sokka studying her, but she didn't shift her gaze to look at him. Sokka cleared his throat. "Look, Anika. I know I used to say a lot of stupid things about how terrible the Fire Nation was, and I shouldn't have."

"Sokka, you don't have to apologize. You had every right to."

Sokka considered. "Okay, that's true. But I also remember teasing you about firebending when we were kids. That wasn't called for, and I can't help but wonder if it–if I–made you hate your bending so much. And you shouldn't, y-"

"Sokka, calm down." Anika shook her head and turned to face her adoptive brother. "You give yourself too much credit. The thing that made me snap was the raid that killed mom, not you calling me a 'fart-face firebender' when we were eight."

Sokka's uncharacteristically solemn expression lightened as a small smile broke through his stormy features. "That was good, wasnt it?" He tapped his chin before muttering, "I have to remember to use it on Zuko someti- OW!"

Sokka rubbed his side where Anika had just elbowed him as she growled, "No, it isn't a good one and no, you shouldn't."

"Geez, Anika, that really hurt. Someone's touchy about Zu–ohhhhh." Sokka smirked. "I get it."

Anika furrowed her brow. "Get what?"

Sokka ignored her and leaned against the railing. "It's okay, Anika. I admit that normally I'd be hesitant, but for this I'll give you my blessing."

"Blessing? On what?"

"On you and Zuko. Any idiot with two non-Toph eyes can tell that you guys have been secretly in love for ages now."

Anika's cheeks burned, and she blinked in disbelief. "N-no we aren't! Shut up!"

"Suuree." Sokka leaned in close and lowered his voice slightly in an exaggerated imitation of Zuko's tone. "Hey Anika, want to go outside and learn firebending from a real master?" Sokka backed up and clasped his mitten-clad hands under his chin, batting his eyes as he raised his voice to an obnoxiously girly pitch. "Of course, Zuko! Anything to be with your royal hotness!"

"Shut. Up." Anika conked Sokka over the head and glanced around in embarrassment. "Someone will hear you! And I don't like Zuko; we're friends. That's it."

Sokka raised his hands slightly in surrender. "Whatever you say. But if you guys start kissing sometime in the next month, you owe me a shopping trip with you paying. I'll buy if it hasn't happened."

"Fine–it's not like I'm going to lose. Get ready to empty your money pouch." Anika turned and let the sea spray prickle her face, hoping it would help cool the heat clinging to her cheeks. Her eyes widened. "Hey, there it is!

She pointed to a sliver of white on the horizon just as a call went up from the tower. "Laaand Hooo!"

"Sokka, I can't wait to–Sokka?" Anika turned to her brother, who was standing frozen, a blank expression plastered on his face. This wasn't like him.

Sokka sighed softy. "I- I can't believe it. The Northern Water Tribe. It's been ages."

"Hey, are you okay?" Anika put aside her annoyed embarrassment from moments before and placed her hand on Sokka's shoulder. "You seem a little down. I know it might be hard coming back to where it all happened."

"You mean Yue?" Sokka squinted, looking off into the distance. "I'm fine. Trust me, Anika, I'm over it now. I have Suki and we're doing great. Besides, we never would have worked out."

Anika frowned. "What do you mean? You and Yue loved each other."

Sokka's defensive tone softened. "You're right, we did. But she would have ended up marrying Hahn out of royal duty and been miserable her entire life. Instead, she saved her tribe. She died for what she loved, and now she's an immortal moon spirit, which is pretty cool."

Sokka examined one of his mittens intently. Anika thought she saw his eyes shine, but it could have just been an effect of the sea spray. "Yue was smart, kind, beautiful- but what happened was her destiny and I'm okay with that now." His next words were so soft Anika almost didn't catch them, more to himself than to her. "Some people are just too perfect for this world."

"Right, well-" Anika gazed out to the sea and swallowed hard for dramatic effect before saying, "I'd agree with you, but I'm still around, so."

Sokka groaned even as an exasperated grin warmed his features. "Just because we grew up together doesn't mean that you have to act like my clone. And if anything, the fact that you're still alive just proves my point. You're about as far away from perfect as they get."

"You said yourself that we grew up together. I guess you rubbed off on me. Shame."

Sokka crossed his arms over his chest. "I really hate you sometimes, you know."

Anika smiled. "I wouldn't have it any other way."


	9. Chapter 8: Zuko

Zuko stood in front of the mirror in his quarters and gazed at the tense-looking reflection staring back at him. He had to make sure everything was in place.

Hair smoothed back? Check.

Flame securely in his topknot? Check.

Robes wrinkle-free and aligned perfectly? Check.

His fleet had just entered the Northern Tribe's gates, and it was nearly time for him to exit the quiet shelter of his room and proceed off the ship to greet his hosts. He'd asked Anika and Sokka to walk down with him. Hopefully his friends would make him look less like an intimidating conquerer and more like a friendly ally. He needed this alliance if he wanted to get a sliver of trust in the Fire Nation from the world. This was a big deal, and the jitters were getting to him.

He held out his hand to the mirror and mimed shaking hands. "Greetings, your chief-ly-ness Arnook, sir. I hear your people like water. So do I!" Zuko cringed. Maybe he should try something else.

He cleared his throat and raised a hand in greeting. "Chief Arnook! Pleasure to meet you. My friend Sokka here tells me your daughter became a moon spirit to save the tribe from-the... Fire Nation," Zuko muttered, trailing off. If he wasn't worried about messing up his hair, he would have slapped himself on the forehead. Why was he so bad at this?!

A knock sounded on the door, and Anika's voice reached his ears. "Zuko, they just lowered the gangplank. Captain wants you off first."

"Coming, coming." Zuko gave himself one last anxious glance in the mirror and then crossed the room and threw the door open.

Anika must have taken in his less-than-confident expression, because she smiled encouragingly. "Come on, you'll do great."

Zuko smiled with what he hoped was an assured look. "Let's do this." He left his room and made his way to the exit of the ship, where Sokka and a small group of bodyguards waited.

Zuko lined himself up with the center of the exit. He glanced back to confirm that Anika and Sokka were slightly behind him on each side, then squared his shoulders and strode to the top of the gangplank and smoothly down the ramp.

Chief Arnook faced him ten feet from the bottom of the gangplank. What appeared to be his wife stood on his right side, and a young, cocky-looking man was on his left. Zuko immediately felt dislike for the latter rise in his chest, but he pushed it aside to focus on the task at hand.

Arnook bowed as Zuko stepped onto the ice of the port. "Fire Lord Zuko, the Northern Water Tribe welcomes you."

Zuko bowed in return. "I thank you for your hospitality and look forward to many years of peace and collaboration." There. That wasn't terrible, at least.

Everyone seemed to relax at his words, and Arnook focused his gaze over Zuko's shoulder and smiled gently. "It's been too long, Sokka."

The young man at Arnook's left crossed his arms and stared at the ground with a frown as he murmured, "Not long enough, if you ask me." Zuko blinked, unsure if his ears were playing tricks on him.

Arnook quickly cleared his throat. "We have a feast planned for tonight, but you must want to rest after your journey. The crew and extra bodyguards have rooms in the city, and we have prepared guest rooms in the palace for you and your diplomats. Please allow Hahn here to show you to your quarters." He gave Hahn a pointed look as he added, "He is an excellent host, I assure you."

Hahn spread a smile over his features as if it pained him to do so. He gave the group a shallow, hasty bow. "I'll be happy to assist you. If you'd follow me?" Zuko, Anika, Sokka, three Fire Nation officials, and two bodyguards trailed after Hahn as he crossed the icy ground and led them to a large canoe manned by a waterbender standing at the back. "Make yourselves at home."

Hahn stood outside the boat as everyone got in. Zuko couldn't help but notice that he only broke his grimace of an expression to smile smoothly at Anika as she climbed aboard, unnecessarily offering her a hand and helping her across the four inches from the ground to the boat. "Careful. Wouldn't want such a pretty face to get wet."

Zuko's insides lurched in disgruntled alarm, and Sokka let out a furious, strangled squeak of disbelief. Zuko noticed with a kind of pride that at least Anika only rolled her eyes as she crossed over and settled onto a bench.

As soon as everyone was seated, the boat pulled away from the ice and smoothly sailed down the streams of water that served as roads here. Anika was wedged between Zuko and Hahn on the middle bench, and she leaned slightly towards Zuko as if trying to get as much space between herself and Hahn as possible.

Hahn obviously isn't notice. He leaned into her and murmured, "I've never dated a Southern Tribe girl before. Would you recommend I try to make that happen?"

"I-" The world would never know what Anika planned to respond with, because Sokka cut her off mid-sentence with a shrill retort.

"Ex-CUSE me? Don't hit on my sister!"

"Oh my spirits." Anika flushed and raised a hand to her forehead. Zuko shrank back awkwardly, secretly cheering Sokka on in his head.

"I'm not hitting on her, I just thought she'd know the most about Southern girls." Hahn sniffed. "You may have forgotten, Sokka, but I was engaged to Yue. Her death was extremely hard on me. Sorry if it offends you that I'm trying to bounce back and mend my broken heart."

"Your broken heart? Porcupine bull crap! You were only marrying Yue because she was a princess!"

"Sokka, please!" Anika fixed her brother with a glare. "That's a terrible thing to say."

"It's true!"

Anika opened her mouth to respond, but Hahn raised his hand and cut her off. He let out a sad sigh Zuko couldn't help but think was rather over-exaggerated. "No, no, don't get mad at Sokka. He was in love with Yue, so he's bound to be a little touchy. Believe me, I understand how he feels."

Anika's expression softened. "That's a really sensitive thing to say, Hahn. My brother is just an idiot sometimes. I really am sorry for your loss."

Hahn smiled sadly. "I'm learning to cope. It'll just be hard at the feast tonight. Her spot will be empty, and it will remind me of the hole in my heart. I wish I had someone to talk to and pass the time with. I'd ask you to sit with me, but I'm sure you have important duties."

"Wellll..." Anika eyed Zuko as if to ask for permission. He shrugged reluctantly, unable to come up with a good reason she wouldn't be able to. Anika smiled gratefully before saying, "I suppose I could sit with you. It's just a feast, not an important meeting."

Hahn immediately brightened. "Awesome! I'll drop by before the feast begins and show you around the palace a bit."

"NO! NO YOU WON'T!" Sokka exploded, enraged past his silence.

"There is no way my sister is going to be your-your next toy!"

"Sokka, what's your problem? I never got to know Hahn when we were here last time, but so far he hasn't done anything to deserve all the abuse you're giving him. Back off; I can take care of myself."

Sokka opened and shut his mouth a couple times before crossing his arms with a stormy expression. "You know what, Anika? Do what you want."

"I will."

"Then... good!"

"I know it's good!"

"I'm glad you know!"

"I'm gla-"

"WOULD EVERYONE HUSH UP?!" a Fire Nation official blurted, his hands over his ears.

Sokka and Anika sheepishly shrank back just as the bender at the back of the boat pulled the boat beside the palace. "We've arrived."

"Thank the spirits." All three officials clambered out of the boat and started towards the palace. Anika climbed over Hahn and practically leapt after them as if trying to distance herself from the whole situation as quickly as possible.

Hahn stood, then turned and leaned towards Sokka and Zuko with a smug smile he hadn't worn with Anika around. "And that, gentlemen, is how you get the ladies." He fixed Zuko with a devilish smirk. "Take notes. You'll need them with a scar like that." With that, he turned and hopped off of the boat.

Fury rose in Zuko's chest like bile, and he barely restrained himself from sending a ball of fire at Hahn's retreating backside. "Fire Lord?" Zuko turned and raised his eyebrow at one of the bodyguards, who was watching Hahn walk off with intense dislike. "Permission to arrest that pathetic excuse for a human?"

The corner of Zuko's serious face upturned in a smile. "Permission denied. Attacking our escort wouldn't make the best first impression." Zuko shook his head and exited the boat, Sokka and his bodyguards following close behind.

"For the record, you have my blessing on the whole 'attack Hahn' thing." The owner of the boat gave them a slight bow and pulled away from the ice. "I hate that guy."

"Finally, someone who gets it," Sokka grumbled. "And by the way, Zuko, girls looove a guy with cool scars. Frankly, I'm jealous."

"Thanks, Sokka." Zuko lifted his fist and jokingly ignited it in flames. "I can give you a matching one if you want."

"Do you offer any cool shapes? Boomerang? Sword? Moon crescent?"

"Best I got is flame blob."

"Hmm, pass. How about you give one to Hahn instead?"

Zuko looked up at Hahn, who was in the process of slinging his arm around Anika's shoulder. He felt something ugly and bitter bubble up in his gut, and it took him a moment to realize it was jealousy.

His next words were quiet, more to himself than to Sokka as he watched Anika lean into Hahn as they walked.

"I'm thinking about it."


	10. Chapter 9: Anika

Anika shifted uncomfortably in her seat as Hahn droned on about his maaaany achievements. The feast was drawing to a close, and she couldn't wait to slip away to her room and pretend this night had never happened. Hahn seemed okay at first, but he had become more and more dull as the meal progressed. He practically never let her talk, instead bragging about how amazing he was.

Anika let her eyes wander over to the main table and rest on Zuko. He was laughing amiably with Arnook, and Anika couldn't help but wish that she was sitting there instead. Or on the icy floor. Or in a jail cell. Or on top of a volcano. Basically anywhere but with Hahn.

From across the room, Zuko's eyes shifted to meet hers. For a brief moment, they held each other's gaze before Anika blushed and looked down at her empty plate.

"Hey Anika." Anika turned to find that Hahn was standing and extending her a hand. "This is about over; want me to walk you back to your room?"

"Sure." Anika felt a wave of relief as she accepted his hand and allowed him to hoist her to her feet. Finally. She followed Hahn out of the banquet hall and into a passageway.

Where they should have taken a left, however, he dove into the opposite hall. Anika furrowed her brow. "Isn't this the wrong way?"

"Nah, just a little detour. I want to show you something really beautiful."

"Oh, uh, okay." Anika reluctantly let Hahn guide her through several more hallways until one of them opened up into a small balcony. Anika's breath caught in her throat as Hahn stopped and they took in the view.

"Wow." She gazed out at the vivid colors of the afternoon sky. Oranges and pinks mingled together in breathtaking shades that could never be replicated by mankind. Golden sun shone off of the ocean and the glistening ice buildings. "You were right, this is beautiful."

"Not as beautiful as you."

Anika rubbed her neck awkwardly. "That's swee-mmph!" She was cut off mid-sentence as Hahn took ahold of the back of her head and pulled her in for a kiss. It lingered for an uncomfortably long time before he finally pulled away.

He twirled a stray stand of her hair around his finger. "Wanna check out the inside of my room for a bit?"

Not really, no. Anika pulled away and smiled apologetically. "Actually, I really have to get back to my room. Sokka needs me for, uh, making important plans."

"Mm, it won't take long." Hahn stepped so close that Anika had to back up, only to realize she was trapped in one of the balcony's corners.

Alarm bells started sounding in her brain. "No. I'm sorry, but I can't."

Hahn smiled, not phased in the slightest. "Trust me, babe, I'll make it worth your while." He dove in for another kiss, this time reaching up and groping her torso over her clothes.

"Stop it!" Anika pushed his hands away and tried to dodge around him, but he only grabbed her and pulled her back into the corner.

"C'mon, I was just messing with you a little."

"It's not funny. Please, lay off and let me go."

"What, you didn't like it? How could any girl resist something like this?" Hahn grabbed her raised forearms and wrenched them down before pressing his lips against her neck.

He let go of her arms to explore her torso again, and Anika took her chance. "I. Said. STOP IT!" She crossed her arms over herself and then thrust them out and away, flames spewing from her fingertips.

Hahn stumbled back, parts of his parka blackened and scorched. He stared at Anika with wide eyes before his face contorted into a snarl. "You're a-? You know what? Forget it! I'd never want to make out with a repulsive firebender, anyway!" He turned and stormed off.

Anika waited until he was well out of sight before taking off into a run for the guest wing. It wasn't far off, and soon she was standing in front of the doors to the lounge room. The lounge was a spacious living-room-type area with a couches arranged around a large fireplace. It branched off into separate bedrooms. Everyone of important rank was staying here, from the officials to Zuko to Sokka.

Anika slipped into the lounge, hoping and praying that no one was back from the feast yet and she could dissapear into her room unnoticed. No such luck. Zuko and Sokka appeared to have just arrived. They were setting up a Pai Sho board on a couch in the center of the room. Anika was pretty sure Sokka had never played, but maybe Zuko was teaching him.

As soon as the door clicked shut behind her, their heads snapped up to take her in. "So." Sokka scowled and went back to setting pieces on the board. "How was your date with lover boy?"

"Shut up, Sokka." Tears welled in Anika's eyes. She turned her head before they could be noticed and half-walked, half-jogged to her room and slammed her door behind her.

Sokka's next words were muffled. "What's her problem?"

Anika crossed the room, tore off her parka so she was in her normal blue and gold outfit, and then collapsed onto the bed. She tugged the thick animal skins that served as covers over her body and curled into a ball, trying to curb the uncontrollable quaking that suddenly overtook her. Tears flowed from her eyes, and she sniffed as she wiped some of them away. Nothing serious had happened, but she felt shocked, violated, and hurt.

A good ten minutes passed before there was a soft rapping on the door. Anika sniffed. "Go away, Sokka."

The door slowly cracked open, and Zuko's hesitant voice drifted through the room. "I... I made you some tea."

Anika bit back a groan, burrowing deeper into the covers and pulling them over her tear-streaked face. She didn't want him to see her when she was a complete mess. "Don't really feel like any, but thanks."

"C'mon, you seemed a little upset and it'll make you feel better."

Stupid Fire Nation royalty and their stupid tea. Pent-up rage built in Anika's chest and before she knew it, she was exploding, "I said I didn't want any! What is it with boys and not listening to you when you say no?! Leave me ALONE!" As soon as the words left her mouth she regretted them, but there was no taking them back.

Zuko's next remark was thoughtful and confused. "What's that supposed to mean?" There was a beat of silence, and Anika could almost hear gears turning in Zuko's head before he spoke again. This time his voice was hard, brimming with barely-contained anger. "What did you mean by that, Anika? Did Hahn-?"

 _Shit._ She'd said too much. Anika bit her lip and searched her brain for something convincing to say back, but before she could, Zuko crossed the room and pulled back the furs she had heaped over herself.

His expression was like a storm cloud as he studied her now-exposed face. Anika swallowed and hastily swiped at the tears still trickling down her cheeks, but she knew it was too late. He'd seen her broken expression and drawn the only logical conclusion.

Zuko released the teacup he was still holding in one hand. It fell and shattered into tiny fragments on the floor. Without a word, he turned towards the door, but Anika reached out and grabbed his wrist before he got far. "Zuko, wait. It's not what it looks like. Don't do anything stupid."

Zuko turned, sparks flashing in his eyes. "Then why are you crying?"

Anika paused, considering lie after lie in her head before deciding on the truth. She sighed. "Hahn wouldn't stop trying to kiss me after I told him I wasn't interested, so I got scared. I firebent at him a little, and he stormed off. I'm a little shaken up, but I'm perfectly fine. I promise."

Zuko's bristling form relaxed, but only slightly. "I'm still going to make him regret it," he growled.

"Zuko. Stop for one second and think about this. We're on a important diplomatic visit with a lot on the line. The Water Tribe will be less than impressed if the Fire Lord beats up one of their top warriors. I swear that I'm okay. Just promise me you won't attack anyone."

Zuko took a deep breath. "Fine." He eyed her worriedly. "I'll promise as long as you swear you're alright."

Anika smiled. "I swear on your restored honor."

Zuko nodded solemnly, not even catching the tease in her voice. He looked sheepishly at the shattered glass at their feet. "Can I at least get you another cup of tea?"

"I'd like that." Anika settled back into the bed as Zuko dissapeared out the door. She heard a couple low exchanges between Zuko and Sokka, followed by a bellowed, "HE DID WHAT?" Yet another bout of indistinguishable talking, this time considerably more heated and urgent. A door slammed.

Anika's gut sank, and she was just about to get out of bed and make sure Zuko hadn't gone back on his word when he reappeared in the doorway, clutching a fresh cup of tea. "What was that about?"

"Sokka left to find Hahn. I tried to stop him."

"Sure you did. Then why do you look so happy about it?"

Zuko's smirk quickly melted into a more serious expression as he handed Anika the tea. "What? He's not the Fire Lord, and they've had a rivalry going for ages. I also kept my promise, so there."

Anika sipped the tea. It tasted amazing, but she wasn't about to tell Zuko that. "You're the worst."

Zuko smirked. "Wow, thanks. I love you, too."

Anika almost choked on her tea. She knew she was overreacting, but a warm blush rushed to her face at the unexpected words all the same.

Zuko's reached up and rubbed his neck as if he hadn't quite meant to say that, and his own cheeks turned a color to rival the red of his scar. "Well, umm, night. I'll let you get your beauty sleep. Not that you need it!"

Zuko continued to ramble as he backed up towards the door. "You're beautiful." His eyes widened in panic as he realized what had just left his mouth. "No no, not beautiful. I just meant that you're not ugly." He cringed. "Not ugly at all! You're-"

"Zuko." Zuko snapped his mouth shut at her words and gazed at her helplessly. Anika smiled softly at the normally-poised Fire Lord. "Thanks for the tea."

Zuko nodded silently, relief washing over his features as he understood that this was permission to stop talking. He backed up and dissapeared out the door, bumping clumsily against it in the process. Anika's insides warmed with fondness as he cursed under his breath when he thought he was out of earshot. _Dork_.

Anika slowly finished her tea, then burrowed back under the furs. This time there were no tears or quivering, and soon she had drifted off and was lost in a blissfully sweet dream.


	11. Chapter 10: Zuko

"Sokka, _hold still_." Zuko watched from across the lounge as Anika bent over her adoptive brother, trying to dab a mixture of herbs onto his swollen split lip. "The healers can fix you up a lot better than I can. Just go to them already."

"You're joking, right?" Sokka's indignant voice was slightly lisped from the swelling. "The main healer is Hahn's grandma. I bet you anything he's already gone crying to her, whimpering about how I attacked him for no reason at all." He grinned. "Not that there's much she's going to be able to do about the killer black eye I gave him."

"You shouldn't have done that. I can handle myself perfectly fine, and I don't need my idiot brother beating up every guy that I have a bad date with." Anika shook her head and put aside her herb cream. "That's about as good as it's going to get. You let it sit and fester all night long, so don't expect any miracles. Katara is the one with the glowing healer hands, not me."

"Too bad she was too busy making out with Aang to want to come with us." Sokka scratched his chin in mock contemplation. "Maybe it's time I gave Aang a beat down to keep him in his place."

"You're going to try to fight the Avatar? Let me know before you do so I can write up the obituary."

"Will do. You always have my back, sis. It's touching."

Zuko silently picked a piece of lint from his robe and rolled it between his fingers as little flames of jealousy and self-pity licked at his insides. Anika was basically an orphan, and yet she still managed to have a better family life than him. His father was an evil tyrant locked up in jail for life, his sister was in an insane asylum, and his mom had disappeared years ago.

Was it too much to ask for a little love from his family? Even a sliver of caring? Uncle Iroh was amazing, but he couldn't fill the family-shaped void in Zuko's heart all by himself. What he wouldn't give for a sibling who didn't hate his guts, for a-

"Zuko, you coming with us?"

"Mm?" Zuko flicked the lint aside and looked up into Anika's expectant face as she tugged on her mittens. "Are you coming to watch the waterbenders? You weren't even listening, were you?"

"I was kinda lost in my thoughts, I guess. And I better stay behind. Fire Lord duties and all that."

Anika scoffed. "Please, the diplomatic meeting isn't for another three hours. You've got to see the waterbenders train; it's super majestic."

"Majestic? I just like watching them kicking each other's butts!" Sokka was already at the doorway, waiting expectantly. "C'mon, Zuko, I can only stand crazy sisters for so long before I need someone sane to hang with."

Zuko found himself smiling. Maybe his family was messed up, but having amazing friends almost made up for it. Almost. "I guess I can c-"

"Awesome!" Anika grabbed his hand before he could finish and eagerly pulled him to his feet and towards the door. They passed through the halls of the palace and out into the crisp, cold air at the top of the steps leading to the training courtyard. Four pairs of guys were sparring each other. They were so focused that they didn't notice the trio descending the icy stairs until they had reached the bottom. One by one, the boys all stopped training and turned to face the little group.

Zuko coughed awkwardly, suddenly realizing how out-of-place he looked as a blot of deep red among a sea of blue and white.

"Don't you need a parka?" one of the closer, younger boys inquired after a couple beats of uncomfortable silence.

Zuko took a deep breath and then exhaled, letting a swirl of flames curl from his mouth before shrugging nonchalantly. "Nah."

The boy gaped for a moment, then raised his hands and laughed. "Okay, man." Zuko glaced sideways at Anika. She'd noticed that, right? She only rolled her eyes, but he thought he caught something like an impressed smile under her exasperated features. Score.

"Hey Sokka, nice lip," an older teen smirked approvingly. "Wouldn't be related to the black eye I saw on Hahn this morning, would it?"

Sokka casually dusted off his sleeve. "It might."

"Impressive. That guy deserved the reality check. Not that you could do much against, say, a skilled waterbender such as myself."

Sokka crossed his arms and smiled good-naturedly. "Is that a challenge?"

"If you're up to it."

"Pfft, please." Sokka reached behind his back and withdrew his sword. Unlike the lost space sword, it was light and shiny. This one may not have been crafted from a meteor, but Sokka could wield it with equal skill. "Splashing around in puddles is cool and all, but it can't compare to the ancient art of swordbending."

Zuko groaned. "Sokka, that's not a thing."

"I don't know, seems real to me," one of the boys intoned respectfully as he eyed the gleaming blade.

Sokka ignored the comments and gave the sword a twirl. "You're on."

The older teen gestured for Sokka to follow him onto the courtyard. "Awesome! Lets see what Southern Tribe kids have to offer."

"Woo, Sokka!" Anika settled down on one of the bottom steps, and Zuko sat next to her. "Represent! This should be interesting."

Zuko leaned in close and muttered, "You think he'll win?"

"Nope, but stranger things have happened," Anika replied.

The two bowed to each other, then Sokka lifted his sword and the boy collected water from the ice at his feet. Soon the battle was in full swing, flying ice shards and blade swings glistening in the frosty morning air. "I'm kinda jealous," Anika breathed softly.

Zuko turned to face her, his eyebrow raised. "What d'you mean by that?"

"Huh? Oh, sorry. I didn't mean to say that out loud." Anika paused before venturing, "I guess I've just always been a little jealous of waterbenders. When I was little, everyone acted like Katara's bending was a huge blessing. A dangerous one that had to be kept secret, yes, but still an awesome gift. My abilities weren't exactly viewed in the same light."

Zuko shifted uncomfortably. "Look, Anika. I have a confession to make. A while ago, you were talking to Iroh about some things, and I eavesdropped fo-"

Anika held up a hand to cut him off. "I know, Zuko. You don't have to explain yourself."

"You... know?"

"I saw you going down the hall when I opened the door to leave. Also, you left your teacup outside the door. Wasn't that hard to figure out."

Zuko blushed. "And you're not mad?"

Anika shrugged tiredly. "I guess I should be, but I have a hard time getting angry at anything that makes it so I don't have to repeat my story. It's whatever."

Anika traced her boot on the ice below the bottom step, cleared her throat. "My mom was a waterbender, Zuko. I could have turned out like her. I had everything going for me. Neither of Katara's parents are benders, and even she managed to inherit it. Hell, I could have been a non-bender and been fine with it. Instead, I get this." Anika ignited a fire in her palm and watched it dance musingly. "I've been able to accept it a lot better now after talking with you and Iroh, but some things still keep me awake at night."

Anika clenched her fist, and the flames died with a wisp of smoke. "From my father, I got my bending. Some of my features. My dark eyes, I presume. But... what else? What about his personality? His morals?"

Zuko's heart squeezed. "Anika, those all have nothing to do with your parents."

"Don't they?" Anika turned to Zuko, her eyes flashing with an angry kind of desperation. "I get that at the end of the day, it's your decisions that determine who you are. But sometimes, in my darkest, most hurt moments, I see a side of myself that I don't recognize. Something hidden among all the good stuff. Something selfish, cruel, cowardly."

"That just means you're human."

"No. It's something else. I've been around Sokka and Katara my entire life, and we're different. For them, good is poured into their beings. They have their flaws, but at the end of the day, they're pure to the core. Katara met the man who killed her mother, and even though she couldn't forgive him, she couldn't kill him. She literally didn't have the ability in her to take a life. If it had been me in her place, something tells me it would have ended differently." Anika bit her lip and shifted her gaze to the ground. "You don't understand."

"You think I don't understand?" Zuko snapped heatedly. The words his uncle had said to him not so long ago flooded his brain. _Evil and good are always at war inside of you, Zuko. It is your nature, your legacy... Born in you, along with all this strife, is the power to restore balance to the world_. "My dad is Ozai. Can't get much more 'pure evil' than the guy who tried to destroy the world as we know it."

Anika winced. "I know, I'm sorry. But I can't help but wonder... what if I'm actually a monster deep down, waiting to snap? What if-?"

Zuko reached up and gently placed his fingers over her mouth. "Shut. Up." Before he could stop himself, Zuko slid his hand aside and brought his face to Anika's. Their lips made contact and held it as Anika leaned into him, into the kiss. For a moment, everything in the world righted itself. Zuko finally moved his mouth from hers to take a breath. He couldn't bring himself to pull away from her bliss-inducing touch, so he rested his forehead against hers as he murmured, "I don't think you're a monster."

Anika's voice came out hushed with surprise. "Zuko, I-"

"I knewww it," Sokka's voice sang out. Zuko and Anika jumped at the same time. They tore apart and spun to face Sokka, who was using his sword to deflect three speared ice shards at once. "Anika, you owe me-agh," he ducked to avoid a shot of water, "-a shopping trip!"

"Spirits, Sokka!" Anika's face turned the color of Zuko's robe, and she quickly stood and stormed up the stairs. "You're so, augherrr, embarrassing!"

Zuko waited for her to dissapear into the palace before crossing his arms sulkily. "Aaand she left. Thanks a lot, Sokka."

"No problem." Sokka dropped his sword in defeat as his body was encased in frozen ice. He nodded at his opponent. "Good match. By the way, Zuko, if you guys decide to date and you hurt her, Hahn's black eye will look like a smudge."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah." Zuko shook his head in mock-grumpiness even as his heart skipped a happy little beat. By the sound of it, Anika really did like him. Zuko absentmindedly touched his fingers to his lips, which were still tingling softly from the kiss. Maybe he had a shot at this, after all.


	12. Chapter 11: Anika

"Hey, Anika?" Anika looked up to find Zuko in the doorway. She was sitting on her bed, re-reading the Fire Nation copy of the peace and alliance scroll with the Northern Water Tribe. The two parties had drawn it up at the diplomatic meeting earlier today, and everything had gone off without a hitch. Anika had been too elated over the success of the trip to dwell on the kiss and sort through her feelings.

"Oh, um, hey. What's up?" Anika asked.

"I'm pretty tense from all the stress and expectations at the meeting today, and I thought I could get it out of my system with some sparring. Everyone else seemed too tired to ask, so I was wondering if you'd like to do a little firebending with me."

"Sure, I'm down. Just give me a sec," Anika said. She spoke casually even as her stomach did a little flip of nervous excitement.

"Cool, meet you down there." Zuko smiled and dissapeared from the doorway.

Anika rolled up the scroll and slid it into its case, then secured it in the drawer beside her bed. She left her parka where it lay on the floor, deciding that the skin-tight, long-sleeved shirt she had been wearing under her usual blue and gold tunic recently would suffice against the cold evening air for a quick sparring match.

She headed to the courtyard, which was empty except for the lone figure of Zuko shooting bursts of fire into the frigid atmosphere. As she made her way down the stairs, Anika regretted not throwing on her parka. To be fair, she had grown up in the Southern pole. She was used to dealing with much more extreme cold than this, but not without a warm coat swaddling her in.

Anika focused on the air entering and leaving her lungs and heated it with firebending energy to keep her warm from the inside out. She reached the bottom of the steps and breathed out an uneven patch of bright red fire.

"Not bad." Zuko was waiting for her, arms crossed. "Once you have a little more control of it, though, it might look more like this." He exhaled a flickering swirl of golden flames from his own mouth.

"Showoff," Anika muttered.

Zuko smiled. "Well, I have been training with this stuff a lot longer than you. I'll be sure to go easy when we spar."

Anika nodded solemnly. "You better. I don't any weird moves or tricks like _this_." She stooped down and swept one of her legs out, flames spewing from her foot. They fanned out close to the ground so that Zuko had to jump over them at the last second.

Zuko landed smoothly and raised his fists defensively. "So it's going to be like that, is it?" he called teasingly. He punched the air with each of his fists in quick succession, sending two fireballs flying toward her.

Anika dove beneath them and then leapt back to her feet. She lunged towards Zuko and lashed out with a high kick that he just barely managed to duck. Anika took advantage of his moment off balance and followed up with a small fire blast from her other foot directly to his chest.

The force of the fire sent Zuko onto his back, and Anika was over him in an instant. She held down his stomach with one knee and pinned his wrists to the ground on each side of his face with her hands. Anika grinned at his surprised face under hers. "I win."

"Do you?"

"Pretty sure, your majesty."

Zuko sighed. "Dang. I was so sure that-" there was a swift whirl of movement as Zuko wrenched his way out of her grip. Before Anika knew what was happening, she was a flat on her back and Zuko was pining _her_ arms down. "...I'd win."

Anika squirmed for half a moment under his strong arms, searching for a weak spot to gain an advantage, but his grip was too firm. She relaxed and sighed, fighting back an amused smile. "Fine, you win this round. I was so proud, too."

"I'll let you go so we can have a rematch if you say, 'Zuko is the best firebender in the world'. "

Anika rolled her eyes. "I'm not saying that."

Zuko shook his head in mock-seriousness. "But you have to."

"Won't."

"Have to."

"Won't."

"Have to."

"How about this instead?" Anika lifted her head and planted a lingering kiss on his lips, smug grin and all.

When she pulled away, Zuko gently released her arms and backed off, sitting back onto his heels. His face was aglow with a kind of pleasant surprise. "Yeah, I'd say that's fair."

Anika sat up, feeling oddly warm despite the cold atmosphere. "So what now?"

"Well..." Zuko reached up to rub the back of his neck. "What you said about good not always being easy for you stuck with me all day. I feel like I didn't say enough." Zuko raised his gaze to meet Anika's. "You're beautiful, Anika. Beautiful and funny and open and kind. You don't deserve to doubt yourself like I doubt myself sometimes. But if that's the burden we both have to carry, then maybe that's okay. If you want to, we can figure it out. Together."

"Are you... are you asking me out?"

Zuko smiled shyly. "That was the idea."

Anika paused. Her, dating the Fire Lord? What if it lasted? Was becoming Fire Nation royalty something she could handle? She was from a small cluster of igloos in the Southern tribe, and she was probably the least qualified person to know Fire Nation customs and rules.

And yet-Anika looked over at Zuko, and a warm, happy feeling that had nothing to do with bending spread from her heart to the rest of her body. If she was being honest with herself, she had liked him since the day he had shown up begging to be allowed into team Avatar. It had frustrated and confused her at the time, (Way to go Anika, just start crushing on the evil Fire Nation prince who's done nothing but attack you and your friends since the day you first set eyes on him. 10/10 awesome decision) but now she understood why.

Zuko had proved that despite his rocky beginnings, he was a genuinely brave, selfless, and loving person. He wasn't perfect, and he didn't need to be. He tried his best to do the right thing. That was enough for her, slip-ups and all.

Not to mention how stupidly attractive he was. Anika found his features incredibly handsome, scar included. Also, she didn't want to bring Zuko's abs into this, but _damn_ did he look good without a shirt.

"Is that a no?" Zuko's confused voice snapped Anika into reality, and she blushed as she realized that she had been sitting in silence for quite a bit.

"I was just thinking about how I'm hardly qualified to be dating the Fire Lord," Anika blurted. _Not about your abs at all. Nope. Just that._

"Qualifications aren't important." Zuko edged closer to Anika and took one of her hands in his. Anika knew it was as cold as ice, and her heart swelled as she noticed that Zuko instantly adjusted the temperature of his hands to a toasty glow to warm it. "You make me smile when all I want to do is shout at the world. You keep me sane when I feel like I'm going crazy under pressure. It's like... it's like I'm a diamond and you're the world crushing me into shape."

Anika raised an eyebrow as Zuko winced. "That sounded a lot better in my head. Look, I'm not super good at this. What I'm trying to say is that I really like you, and I'd be honored if you'd like to be my girlfriend."

Anika bit her lip in a last bout of hesitation, then smiled. "Okay. Let's give this a shot." Zuko's hopeful face immediately took on a happy glow, and Anika couldn't bring herself to wait for his response to lean forward and kiss him. Zuko's soft breath tickled her lips in the instant before they made contact. Giddy happiness mingled with primal desire as her lips found his and moved passionately on their own accord. She felt one of Zuko's hands cup her jaw and slip down her neck as they-

"Fire Lord Zuko!" Zuko and Anika broke away from each other and gazed up at the Fire Nation guard that stood before them. The guard was red-faced and quivering slightly. "I-I'm sorry to interrupt, sir, but there is a matter of utmost urgency."

Zuko stood from where he knelt on the ground and squared his shoulders as he rose up to his full height, in full Fire Lord mode. Anika stood as well, except more sheepishly and while wishing she could dissapear from the awkward situation.

When he spoke, Zuko's voice was sharp and serious. "Go on."

The guard wrung his hands anxiously. "I-its your father, sir. Ozai has escaped from prison."

Zuko inhaled sharply. He paused for a moment to process the news before barking, "How could this have happened?!"

"I d-don't know, your majesty."

Zuko slammed a fist into his open palm and growled out an oath under his breath. "Get everyone together. Ready the fleet. It should be prepared to depart within the hour."

"Yes, Fire Lord." The guard bowed before turning and hurrying away to spread the command.

Zuko turned towards Anika. The face that had been glowing with content moments before was now drawn, cloudy with anger and something like fear. "Anika, I need you to go to the Water Tribe officials and explain that we will be departing sooner than anticipated. Thank them for their understanding and hospitality."

Anika nodded and wordlessly pulled Zuko into a quick, reassuring embrace before practically flying up the steps to the ice palace. She had wanted to stay longer, but at least the treaty had accomplished what they had come to do.

There was a more important problem on their hands now. It was time to find the escaped phoenix.


	13. Chapter 12: Zuko

_This is more or less a filler chapter to remind you of just who Ozai is before we get back to the main story. It's also the last chapter with Sokka, so enjoy the dork while you can. :P_

* * *

Zuko stood at the bow of his ship, searching the horizon for any sort of land form. He had to get home as soon as possible, and he wished he had some way of speeding up the ship. If only Katara had agreed to come along, maybe she could have waterbent the ship to a faster speed.

Zuko closed his eyes wearily. He hadn't slept since he had heard the news-two days now. His father, the man who had caused so much suffering and turmoil in his life, had escaped. The world around Zuko seemed to shift, and he slipped into a memory he wished he could forget.

 _Zuko grit his teeth and raised his fists defensively. He hated the sparring sessions that his father watched, especially when Azula was fighting at the same time._

 _He and his sibling were each about to fight a different opponent. He had been assigned a mean-looking boy around the same age as Zuko's eleven years. Azula was going against a tiny girl who couldn't have been more than nine. Azula's opponent looked like she was going to pee her pants with fright, and Zuko couldn't blame her._

 _The instructor was about to signal the start of the matches when Ozai spoke up. "Wait. You've got the opponents switched around."_

 _Their instructor blinked at Ozai in confusion. "Sir?"_

 _"The opponents, you fool. Zuko cannot handle the boy you gave him to fight against. He would do better against the girl. Azula can take his opponent."_

 _"As you wish, your highness." Zuko felt his cheeks burn as his opponent moved over to Azula's side and the tiny, quivering girl inched over to face him. He saw Azula smirk approvingly from the corner of his eye. Zuko bit his lip to hold back tears of humiliation. He'd show them._

 _"Begin."_

 _ **Fwoosh!** Zuko immediately leapt forward and kicked his leg diagonally across his body as he sent an impressive amount of flames towards the girl. She let out a yelp and barely managed to block the fire, stumbling back from the force of the flames as she did so. _

_She gathered her wits and thrust a fireball at him. Zuko parted the flames with ridiculous ease as shame-filled rage built in his chest like a volcano about to explode. This would be over in moments, and then his father would have to admit that he could handle better opponents. Then his father would be proud of him._

 _Zuko let out a roar and threw himself at the girl. Flames spewed from his fists and feet like extensions of his body. The girl was knocked back by his attacks until she fell to her knees, panting and defeated. Zuko raised his fist for the final blow of the match as the girl crossed her arms in front of herself, bracing for the attack. Her eyes lifted towards his, and for a split second, their gazes locked. Her eyes were wide and terrified, brimming with tears._

 _Zuko froze. This wasn't right. His arm dropped to his side, and the fire that was meant to knock her to the ground sputtered into nothing._

 _"Zuko!" His father's voice was sharp and angry. "Finish the match!"_

 _Zuko shut his eyes and turned his head to the side. "I can't."_

 _"For goodness's sake, Zuzu." Zuko opened his eyes just in time to see Azula knock his opponent to the ground with a swift, powerful blast of fire. He turned and noted that the boy she had been sparring against was nothing but a groaning, defeated heap._

 _"Well done, Azula. At least **one** of my children isn't a shameful disappointment." His father's cold voice was like a blade cutting into Zuko's soul as he said his favorite phrase. "Then again, you were born lucky. Your brother was lucky to be born. Zuko, a word." _

_Zuko slunk over to his father and dropped to his knees in front of him, head bowed. "You are weak, Zuko. So weak and cowardly that you can't seem to hold your own against the feeblest of opponents. You don't deserve to be a Fire Nation prince, but since you are, you will have to improve. You obviously haven't been pushed hard enough. You will not be allowed out of the courtyard until you perform each of your firebending forms two hundred times. Do I make myself clear?"_

 _Zuko squeezed his eyes shut as his insides churned with remorse and humiliation. "Yes, father."_

 _"Good. It's nearly dinner time. You'd better get started if you want to finish before tomorrow morning." Zuko wordlessly stood and turned. He shifted his eyes away from Azula's gleeful smirk and put himself into a starting stance. He had mastered twenty-seven forms, and twenty-seven multiplied by two hundred was... a lot. Considering that each form took anywhere from thirty seconds to five minutes depending on the difficulty, this would take him forever._

 _Zuko started with his easiest form and repeated it two hundred times with sharp, crisp precision. By the time he had finished with that, well over an hour had passed. The courtyard had emptied of everyone but him, and the sun was already beginning to sink. Tears of frustration streamed down Zuko's cheeks as it hit him just how long this was going to take. He blinked the water from his eyes and did the only thing he could think of: start his next form._

 _By the time he had completed all two hundred repetitions of three of his forms, the sun had dissapeared completely. He was practicing in the dark with only the bursts of fire he produced with each move penetrating the inky blackness around him._

 _When he had totally completed four of his forms, he was so exhausted that he had to let out a sharp yell with each of his punches and kicks to give himself the strength to keep going._

 _By the time he was finished with five of his forms, his voice had become so hoarse that he was forced to lapse back into silence._

 _He'd made it through two hundred rounds of seven of his forms before he fell for the first time. He was executing a spinning jump kick when he lost his footing and landed on cold stone of the courtyard, hard. Zuko gasped for the breath that had been knocked out of him and struggled to his feet. He staggered through the rest of the form, falling twice more._

 _When Zuko fell a third time, he found he couldn't get back up. Zuko gulped in lungfuls of air as he knelt on his hands and knees. Sweat beaded all over his body and streamed down his face. Stray stands of hair fell from his ponytail and clung to the sides of his face. His arms trembled and shook as his exhausted muscles struggled to support him._

 _"Here, Zuko." Zuko turned his head to find that his uncle was kneeling beside him and offering him a glass of water. Zuko sat back on his heels, then wordlessly took the glass. He gulped it down in three huge swallows. The water flowed down his scratchy, parched throat, soothing as it went._

 _Zuko dropped the cup when he finished and gave Iroh a small, grateful nod before he struggled back up to his feet. The world spun as he stood, and Zuko would have fallen back to the ground if his uncle hadn't caught him._

 _"Easy, Zuko." Iroh gathered Zuko into his arms. Zuko was almost as tall as him now, but the man was stronger than his paunchy appearances suggested. "I'm taking you to your room."_

 _"But-" Zuko struggled briefly in protest. "I-I'm not e-even halfway... F-father s-said..."_

 _"Ozai just told me that he didn't expect you to last this long and that he's impressed with your stamina. He said he's proud of you and to take you to bed."_

 _Zuko blinked in confusion as his uncle carried him into the palace. "F-father really said that?"_

 _"Of course he did." Iroh toed open the door to Zuko's room and set his nephew on the bed. He gently tugged Zuko's long hair out of it's ponytail and pulled his boots from his blistered feet. "Now try to get some sleep."_

 _"Okay, uncle." Zuko collapsed onto his bed and allowed Iroh to tuck the sheets up to his chin. His uncle silently backed out of the room and shut the door behind him. Zuko was just about to surrender to sleep when he heard voices outside of his door._

 _"Iroh."_

 _"Ozai."_

 _"Step aside, brother. Zuko hasn't finished his punishment yet."_

 _"No. I will not stand idly by as you abuse your son. It's three in the morning, and he's ill from pushing himself so hard. Zuko would give up his life for you, and you've done nothing but torture him in return." Iroh's normally mellow voice was tense and furious. "It's sickening."_

 _"Have you forgotten who you're addressing, Iroh? I'm Fire Lord now. As much as you've doted on him since Lu Ten died, Zuko isn't your son. He's mine, and I will raise him as I see fit. I'll let this incident slide, but next time you step in between me and Zuko, I will have you banished. Good night, brother."_

"Hey." Zuko was jolted from his memory as Anika's voice reached his ears. He opened his eyes and turned his head towards his girlfriend as Anika slipped up beside him. She reached forward and took ahold of one of his hands, entwining her fingers in his and squeezing gently. "How are you holding up?"

Zuko sighed. "Not too great. My dad is out there somewhere, free. He could be hurting people, plotting to take me down, anything. I don't know what to think or how to feel. I guess I'm still in shock."

"It'll be okay, Zuko. Your dad can't bend anymore, and he's completely stripped of power. This'll all fix itself soon."

"I hope so." Zuko's voice was hard and uncertain.

"Hey." Anika cupped her hand on the side of his face and gazed steadily into his eyes. "Trust me. You'll be okay." She gently pressed her lips against his, and Zuko felt a small part of his stress slip away at the touch of her soft lips.

"Blech. Could you guys not?" Anika abruptly pulled away from him and whirled at Sokka, who was walking towards them and making a face.

"Could you not? Like you and Suki don't spend every spare second making out like there's no tomorrow!"

"With friends like you guys making me want to puke every time I step outside to get some fresh air, I very well may not have that long." Sokka leaned against the rail between Zuko and Anika, pointedly separating them as he gazed out at the ocean.

Zuko reached over and grabbed the arm Anika was rasing to smack her brother over the head. He used it to pull her around Sokka and into his chest. "I liked you better over here."

Sokka let out a high-pitched squeak. "Holymoonspirit, I can't believe it!"

Anika sighed as she defensively circled her arms around Zuko's waist. "Sokka, grow up."

"Not you two-look! It's a dolphin dog!"

"Really?" To Zuko's dismay, Anika released him and gazed over the side of the ship. He joined her, and sure enough, a dolphin dog was zipping along beside the ship. It's long tounge hung out of the side of it's mouth.

Anika let out a little squeal. "It's so cute! I've always wanted to see one." The dolphin dog let out of series of bark-like whistles, and even Zuko had to admit to himself that the little guy was pretty adorable.

"He needs a name." Sokka tapped his chin before his eyes lit up with a mischievous gleam. "I know! Lets call it 'your honor'."

Zuko wrinkled his nose. "Wait, what?"

As soon as the question left his mouth, the dolphin dog dissapeared under the waves. Sokka gasped. "Oh no, Zuko! Your honor just dissapeared!"

Zuko wilted. "Very funny."

Anika clasped a hand over her mouth to reign in a laugh. Her eyes twinkled as Sokka continued, "Zuko, we have to find your honor!"

Zuko felt a smile creeping onto his face, but he managed to hold it back. "You're the worst." He looped his arm around Anika's waist and tugged her closer to himself as he let the playful environment of his friends undo the twisted knot in his stomach that the memory had produced.

Zuko wasn't a helpless kid anymore. He was surrounded by skilled friends and loyal subjects on all sides. He really would be okay. Zuko leaned over and planted an absent-minded kiss in Anika's hair. He'd stay out here for a bit more, and then he was going back to his room and getting some rest.

Something told him that this time, sleep would come.


	14. Chapter 13: Anika

_Here's a light-hearted chapter for you guys. The action is coming soon, I promise. Enjoy! :)_

* * *

Anika sighed as she stood and gazed out at the grey clouds gathering outside of her window. _Happy birthday to me._

No one had bothered to so much as congratulate her, but she supposed seventeen was a pretty uneventful milestone anyway. In her culture, fourteen was a big coming-of-age year for boys, sixteen was marrying age, and eighteen was when you were a full adult in the tribe. Seventeen? Meh. Just another meaningless number to check off.

All of her friends were probably too busy scouring the city for Ozai to remember what day it was. She really should be looking along with everyone else, but Zuko had asked her to stay behind. She hadn't had the heart to refuse him. His generals and advisors were all but forcing him to stay safely in the palace in case Ozai was rallying up a force to assassinate him and re-take the throne. He had grudgingly complied, but the fact that he couldn't be out bringing his father back to justice had made him a walking, talking storm cloud.

Out of nowhere, strong arms wrapped around Anika's torso as someone pulled her into an embrace from behind, and she felt gentle lips kiss her neck. She let out a surprised squeak before Zuko's familiar voice reached her ears. "Happy birthday."

Anika turned around to face him and jabbed a finger at his chest even as a warm, happy blush spread across her cheeks. "You can't just do that."

Zuko fixed her with a playful grin. "Why not?"

"Because it startles me if I don't know who you are at first."

"Makes sense–I'm sorry. I just wanted to see if you'd like to go on a picnic with me. Considering it's your birthday and all." Zuko picked up a basket he had obviously set down on the floor next to him and turned towards the door. "Since I'm so startling, though, I guess I better just eat alone."

"Stop it, you," Anika laughed as she caught up with him. Zuko reached out with the hand not holding the basket and wrapped her hand in his larger one. Anika's heart skipped happily. "Where are we going? I thought you couldn't leave the palace."

A shadow passed over Zuko's features, and Anika felt like kicking herself. That was clearly a sore subject. "I can't, but I thought we could eat by the turtle duck pond. It's small, and I can think of lots of places with better views, but it was the best I could come up with under the circumstances."

"The pond sounds perfect." Anika leaned over as they walked and planted a quick kiss on Zuko's cheek, and his cloudy expression lifted slightly.

When they reached the tree beside the pond, Zuko pulled a red blanket from the basket and whipped it open with a crisp snap before smoothing it down and sitting on it. Anika barely held back a grin as she nestled beside him. She could already tell he had planned this out beforehand.

Anika tugged the basket towards them. "What's in here? It smells delicious."

She pulled out a small covered dish and was about to take off the lid when Zuko snatched it away. "Hold on. This is for you, and I want to make sure it's hot." He held the sides and warmed his hands until he seemed satisfied that the food inside was sufficiently heated, then passed it back to Anika.

She pulled off the lid and gasped happily. "Stewed sea prunes?! Zuko, how did you get these?"

Zuko grinned. "Eh, a Fire Lord has his ways."

Anika eagerly ate a spoonful of stew, smiling contentedly as the familiar flavor from her childhood warmed her from the inside out. "This is amazing! Want some?"

"Call me crazy, but I think I'll stick to my roast duck." Zuko pulled out another dish and popped a piece of meat into his mouth with chopsticks.

" _Quack?"_ Anika looked down to find a turtle duck at her feet, head tilted curiously and eyes fixed on her bowl of food. A group of little turtle ducklings huddled behind her.

"Here." Anika turned to find Zuko holding bread out to her. "I thought we might need it. They love this stuff."

Anika set aside her prunes and accepted the small loaf. She broke off a piece and extended it to the mother turtle duck, who eagerly gobbled it up. Anika frowned slightly at Zuko as she gave the duck more bread. "How can you eat that around them?"

"Huh? Oh, this." Zuko shrugged and brought another piece of roast duck to his mouth. "It's not like they know what it is."

"Still–oh!" Anika let out a gasp as a little turtle duckling jumped up into her lap and nipped a crumb of bread off the loaf, then gazed up at her with wide eyes. " _Quack_." The rest of the little ducklings followed suit, and soon Anika had a lap full of hungry, quacking fluff balls.

Zuko frowned. "No fair! Turtle ducks always hate me."

Anika laughed good-naturedly. "I wonder why, Mr. they-dont-know-I'm-eating-their-friends." She tossed the rest of the bread crumbs into the pond, and the turtle duckings gave her one last nuzzle before taking off after the food with their mother.

Anika brushed off her lap and finished the sea prunes, then leaned back against the tree. "It's really peaceful out here."

"Yeah." Zuko undid his topknot and let his hair fall naturally around his face. He set his metal flame down on the blanket and eyed it wearily. "Makes it easy to forget all the responsibilities and problems I have right now. I–"

"Shhh." Anika laid a finger over Zuko's mouth. "There are times to brood over Fire Lord duties and times to try to relax a little and be a normal teenager. This is the second. I wish you wouldn't worry so much; it makes my heart hurt."

Zuko reached up and pulled Anika's hand away from his mouth. He kissed the back of it absentmindedly and then sighed in resignation before letting it go. His next words were soft and gentle. "Okay, Annie."

"Good. Anyway, your hair's getting a little longer," Anika observed.

"Not long enough, if you ask me." Zuko ran a hand through his barely-jaw-length hair. "I had long hair my entire life until I was banished, and even then I had the ponytail. I want to grow it out again."

"That will look good, but I also like it this way. And it's still long enough for me to do this." Anika reached forward and selected a tiny section of his hair near the back and twisted the strands into a little braid.

"Hey!" Zuko frowned playfully, but he didn't pull away as she knotted a second little braid, then a third. "I don't think mini braids are part of traditional Fire Lord hairstyles."

Anika giggled. "Oh, be quiet." She tousled his hair so that the braids were buried underneath his other layers of hair. "See? You can't even see them now. Besides, these are called warrior weaves. Braids on guys are the Water Tribe symbol for great bravely."

"Really?"

"Nah."

Zuko shook his head with a grin. "And here I was getting all flattered that you thought I was a warrior."

Anika felt a couple cool raindrops kiss her skin, but she ignored them and the blackening clouds overhead and smiled coyly at Zuko. "You are, but you also happen to be something even better. My boyfriend."

Zuko and Anika leaned towards each other before the words were completely out of her mouth. His lips practically melted into hers as the two of them kissed, softly and then more passionately and then-

 **KABOOM**!

The pair jumped as thunder rumbled dangerously while a violent streak of lightning cut through the sky way too closely for comfort. As if on cue, the rain began to pour down in sheets. Anika groaned inwardly. Every. Damn. Time. It was like the universe didn't want them to make out.

"Oh, come on!" Zuko shouted over the rolling thunder and pounding rain. "We were trying to have a moment!" He got to his feet and extended a hand, helping Anika up.

As Zuko turned to gather up their things, Anika froze. The air around her felt full of static. Individual hairs on the back of her neck stood up, and somehow, in that millisecond, she knew what was about to happen. Anika shot her arm straight up into the air just as a bolt of lightning tore it's way down from the sky.

The lightning made contact with her hand, and then it was hers. She felt it's energy coarse through her like an untrained stallion, wild and unrestrained and impossibly powerful. Anika called upon every ounce of firebending ability inside of her and bent the lightning into submission. She used her own flow of energy to guide the bolt down through her stomach and up and out of the other arm. With an explosion of white-hot light, the lightning left her body and shot into the open air she aimed it at before crackling into nothing.

Anika fell to her knees and gasped for breath. She felt like a hot coal pulled from a fire as her heated skin steamed and sizzled in the rain. Anika thought Zuko was screaming her name, but it could also just have been the ringing in her ears.

Suddenly the grass she was staring at was whisked from her line of sight, and she was vaguely aware of being gathered into someone's arms and carried to shelter. Slowly, gradually, she overcame the numb shock that the exhilarating power had left her body in.

The ringing in her ears muted into a gentle hum just as Zuko set her onto a couch somewhere in the palace. She sat on the soft cushions and took in her surroundings while she regained her composure. She was in a room much more spacious than her own, and that was saying something. A huge fire emblem was printed on the bed curtains encasing a large four-poster across the room. A picture of Iroh hung on the wall, right next to a painting of a small family at a beach. Even though she'd never been inside it in her life, she immediately knew it was Zuko's bedroom.

"You just redirected lightning! From thE SKY!" Anika looked up at Zuko, who was gazing at her with a kind of shocked awe.

She let out a short, incredulous laugh. "Yeah. I guess I did."

"That was an incredible amount of energy! Who even taught you that?"

"I overheard you teaching Aang how to do it, but that's it. The fanciest thing Iroh taught me besides basic firebending was breath of fire."

Zuko gazed at her as if she was an alien from outer space. "You're telling me you just overheard how to redirect lightning over a year ago, and then you easily controlled a huge bolt of it from the sky?!"

"I mean, yeah. It just felt right, like it was in my nature to know what I was doing."

Zuko's frantic expression softened. He paused, then ventured, "Maybe it's because your mother was a waterbender. Redirecting lightning is based off of waterbending moves, after all."

Anika froze, completely taken by surprise by his comment. Then she smiled as the last of the ringing in her ears vanished. "Yeah. Yeah, maybe."

Zuko gazed at her with a kind of gentle admiration in his eyes. "Maybe you're more waterbender than you give yourself credit for. Anyway." Zuko's happy expression transformed into a stormy one, his mouth twisting into a frown. He sulkily leaned back against the side of the couch and pushed his dripping hair out of his face. "This is perfect. I try to plan a romantic picnic for my girlfriend's birthday, and then it starts downpouring and she gets struck by lightning. Awesome."

Zuko looked so comical and defeated standing there, his drenched, dripping robes clinging to his body, that Anika couldn't help but laugh. "Hey!" Zuko stared at her as she gasped for breath. "What's so funny?"

Anika partially regained her composure before giggling, "Just you. Spirits, you're such a dork."

"Dork?! You're the one who–"

Anika would never find out what she was, because she leaned forward and pulled Zuko onto the couch with her.

This time, the universe didn't interrupt them as they held each other long into the storm, two flames flickering in the same fire.


	15. Chapter 14: Zuko

Zuko smoothed the fabric of his special occasion Fire Lord robes as the gentle hum of a crowd gathering in the courtyard reached his ears. Zuko had been planning the first dancing festival the palace had held in over a century for months now, and he'd be damned if he was going to let the threat of his escaped father keep him from hosting it. His advisors had all been against it, but he was going through with it anyway. All his friends were waiting in the courtyard, and Aang was super excited to teach everyone 'traditional Fire Nation dance moves', whatever that meant. Zuko was tired of apologizing and fixing and retreating-maybe a little fun and dancing was what his people needed right now.

"Fire... Lord... Zuko." Zuko turned to find a guard panting in his doorway, a crumpled piece of parchment clutched in one fist. "We just... received a messenger hawk. Your father has been... found and cornered on Ember Island."

"So he's been recaptured?" Zuko questioned, relief washing over him.

"Not exactly." The guard shifted uncomfortably. "He's taken refuge in the home of a family on the island and is holding them hostage. It's... It's a delicate situation. The soldiers there want to know if you'd like to try to reason and negotiate or raid the house and capture him."

"Capture him," Zuko ordered immediately. "The longer we hesitate, the more chance he has of escaping, and we cannot allow that to happen. My father will not negotiate. Tell them to be as careful as they can regarding the safety of the family, but to go through with it right away."

"Yes, Fire Lord, sir." With that, the guard bowed and hurried from the doorway.

Zuko turned and scooped his hair up into his topknot with shaking hands, then took a few slow, deep breaths. His decision had been rash, but they needed to get his father back into custody as soon as possible. Ozai was dangerous and unpredictable, and the longer he was free, the more danger his people were in. Zuko clenched his fists. If his father hurt any of those innocent people, he'd make him regret it.

"Zuko, everyone's waiting for you." Zuko turned at the sound of Anika's voice. The sight of her standing in the doorway stole the breath from his chest as the turmoil melted from his thoughts. Her flowing, off-the-shoulder gown was scarlet red, a color he'd never seen on her before. The vibrant shade perfectly complimented her skin tone, and it ignited a desire-filled warmth deep inside his chest. Why did she ever wear anything else?

Anika's hair was pinned up behind her head, but a couple gently wavy stands escaped from their constraints and fell softly around her face. Tiny golden beads dotted the intricately woven bun, but the time and effort put into the hairstyle was all a waste. The only thing he found himself able to look at was her expectant face, glowing in the evening air.

He finally found his voice. "You look beautiful."

"Oh, hush." Anika crossed the room and took his hand, tugging him forward. "C'mon, the crowd wants you."

"Okay, okay." Zuko let himself be led out of his room and through the winding hallways towards the courtyard. He could tell her about his father later. Just as they reached the curtained threshold, Anika released his arm and backed up slightly. Zuko turned and tilted his head. "What?"

"You go on. I'll go out a different way and meet you down there. You should go alone; I don't have the position or title to enter with you."

"You're kidding, right?" Zuko gently tugged her forward and linked his arm in hers. "You're my girlfriend and that's title enough. Besides, if you think I'm making an entrance without a gorgeous girl by my side, you're dead wrong."

Anika reddened bashfully. "Spirits, Zuko."

Zuko smiled, then walked with her through the curtain hanging from the door. He gazed out at the crowd of milling people, who all immediately stopped talking and stared at the pair in respectful silence. Zuko cleared his throat. "Welcome, everyone. Today we celebrate the Fire Nation and it's rich culture and history of accomplishments. Please make yourself at home. Um, thank you."

There was just a beat of silence, and then the crowd erupted in applause. Zuko let out a little breath of relief and made his way down the stairs. He was better at public speaking than, say, Sokka, but speeches weren't always his forte.

Once they reached the bottom of the steps, the applause melted back into laughter and conversation. Zuko was immediately swarmed by an odd mixture of squealing girls and pompous-looking officials, all vying to get a word with him. He smiled graciously and tried to greet as many people as possible as a trio of girls approached Anika and beamed at her a little too enthusiastically.

The last thing Zuko saw before he had to turn to converse with a general was the middle girl pick approvingly at the flowing skirt of Anika's dress. He listened to their conversation with one ear as he made small talk with the general.

"I love your dress."

"Thank you!" Anika said. "It-"

"I didn't think an uncivilized Southern Tribe peasant would be capable of such great fashion sense, but I have to hand it to you."

"I-"

"Normally I'd say the golden pieces in you hair are overkill, but you're pretty enough to pull it off. No wonder you caught the Fire Lord's eye as a nice little rebound after that horrid Mai girl. I wonder who he'll go for after he's finished with you. You know, whoever he'll pick as his actual suitor and eventual bride."

Zuko couldn't listen idly anymore. He excused himself from the conversation with the general and spun around to face the group of girls. Anika was looking mortified, and the three girls kept at it before he could form proper words to tell them off.

"Of course you know that the Fire Lord wouldn't really want a serious relationship with a common peasant from a little snow tribe. Still, you're lucky to have his attention while it lasts."

"Of course." Anika's voice was light and airy, but Zuko caught a whisper of a tremble under her words that broke his heart. "If you'd be good enough to excuse me?"

She turned and headed across the courtyard, making a beeline for a side door into the palace. One of the girls clucked her tounge. "I wonder what's gotten into her."

She turned towards Zuko, and her eyes widened slightly in panic as she saw him looking at her. She opened her mouth to speak, but Zuko killed anything she might have said with a murderous look. He let the glare do the talking as he elbowed his way past the girls and through the crowd after Anika. By the time he had struggled past the swarms of people blocking his path, she had already vanished from sight.

Zuko slipped into the palace and glanced around, but his girlfriend was nowhere to be seen. He made his way to her room, hoping his hunch was right and she was there. Sure enough, little grunts of frustration wafted through the closed door as he approached it.

Zuko took a deep breath, then gently knocked on the smooth wood.

"May I come in?"

"Do what you want, Zuko," Anika said, her voice hard and bitter.

Zuko opened the door, stepped through, and eased it shut. Anika was in the process of trying to take off her dress, but there was a line of buttons down the back that she couldn't quite get at. "Here, let me."

Anika sighed and dropped her arms at her sides, and Zuko made his way behind her and carefully undid the buttons. He did his best to ignore the happy tingling that danced across his fingers every time they brushed against the bare skin of her back. "You know that I don't think that, right?"

"What those girls were saying? Yeah, of course I do. They were just your garden-variety bullies."

Zuko stepped back when he finished. He shifted his gaze to the carpet as Anika tugged off the dress and began to pull on her usual blue and gold outfit. He'd seen her with this little on before on the night of the storm, but admiring her didn't seem like the right thing to do at the moment.

Anika finished dressing and stood in front of the mirror, pulling out the golden beads in her hair one by one and tossing them on top of the red gown crumpled on the floor. "It's just that, I don't know if that was me out there. If this," Anika gestured at the pile of scarlet clothing on the floor as she undid her hairpins and let her soft tresses fall freely around her face, "is me. I don't know if all this Fire Nation grandeur is what I want."

Zuko's stomach churned, and he lifted his gaze to Anika's eyes, searching them desperately. "What are you saying?"

"I don't know. I guess I'm just saying that I need to think. I'm going for a walk."

"Do you want me to come with you?" Zuko asked.

Anika shook her head. "No, I'd rather be alone right now. Besides, you owe it to your people to celebrate with them tonight. Go back out there. Let Aang teach you some dance moves. Have fun."

Anika walked up to Zuko and planted a soft, gentle kiss on his lips. "Dont let one of those silly girls steal you away from me, okay?"

Zuko smiled. "Why settle for a dandelion when I have a fire lily?"

"That's a new one," Anika said, smiling.

"Thought my favorite flower would be a good nickname for my favorite girl."

"Zuko, you're unbearably cheesy." Anika rolled her eyes and headed for the door, but Zuko caught the blush on her cheeks before she left. "Good thing I love you anyway."

With that, she was gone.


	16. Chapter 15: Anika

_Note: This chapter contains some pretty intense violence. If you'd like to skip it, you'll be able to draw conclusions and understand the remainder of the story just fine. :) Okay, enough talk, here goes:_

* * *

Anika took a deep breath of the fresh evening air as she left the palace and stepped out onto the streets of the Fire Nation Capital. Dark clouds brooded above her, promising rain.

Rain.

Rain had been an unexpected perk to leaving the South Pole, where it only ever snowed. She loved everything about it-the smell of wet earth and growing things, the pitter of cool raindrops kissing her skin, the gentle murmur of water on a sheltering roof. She'd never be granted the power of bending the drops as Katara could, but it brought her to life all the same.

Anika let her feet carry her where they pleased as her mind wandered further than her body did. The girls at the party had had a point. Zuko was royalty, the product of a marriage between Avatar Roku's bloodline and a powerful line of Fire Lords. If anyone had the divine right to rule, it was him.

As far as blood was concerned, she was nothing. Her mother was a Water Tribe commoner, and her father, no matter who he was or how high of a position he had held, was nothing but scum. She had grown up in an igloo her entire life. As much as she loved her culture and her people, they were about as far-removed from royalty you could get.

If only-a crash sounded somewhere near her, and Anika snapped out of her thoughts and examined her surroundings for what felt like the first time. She was on a small, abandoned street. The houses on either side of the road were in shameful disrepair, all boarded-up windows and peeling paint.

"Well, well, well." Anika turned to find three large men slowly sauntering towards her. The one in the center pounded his fist into his open palm. "If it isn't the Fire Lord's pet, running away from home. You shouldn't be out here alone."

Anika's heart drummed in her chest as she slowly backed up, only to bump into the chest of a fourth man who hadn't been there moments before. He grabbed her arms and twisted them painfully behind her back. "Going somewhere?"

"Yeah, actually." Anika bent a blast of terror-fueled flames out of her hands and into the torso of the man holding her captive. He let out a yelp and released his grip, and Anika used her moment of freedom to sprint down the street away from the three other thugs. She'd barely taken a step when she felt five quick, sharp jabs punch into her joints. Her limbs went completely limp, and she crumpled helplessly the ground.

Anika swallowed hard as she struggled to get her useless limbs to so much as twitch. "Y-you can chi-block?"

The man who had paralyzed her ignored her question and grabbed a handful of her hair, lifting her head from the ground. Anika grunted in pain as the man turned to one of his fellow thugs. "You sure this is the girl Zuko entered the dance with?"

"Positive. That's the Fire Lord's girlfriend, all right."

"Perfect." With that, the man gripping her hair unceremoniously slammed a fist into Anika's face.

Nothing.

* * *

The first thing Anika was aware of as she surfaced back into consciousness was the steady throbbing in her temple. The pain pounded against her skull, sending a nauseating wave of agony through her body with each pulse. Anika moaned softly and groggily opened her heavy eyelids.

Her world was fuzzy at first, but a couple hard blinks chased away most of the blurriness. Anika was tightly bound to a chair with thick, padlocked chains that dug into her skin.

"Look who's decided to join the land of the living." Anika jerked her head up to find the source of the sudden voice. Her gaze landed on a shadowy figure on the opposite side of the dim room. Her head ached in protest at the sudden movement, and Anika had to close her eyes for a moment until the pain ebbed.

When she opened them again, the man had already crossed the room and was gazing at her with a kind of wolfish pleasure. Anika opened her dry mouth and stammered out the first question that came to her through the hazy fog of her thoughts. "Wh-what do you want from me?"

"Revenge, my darling. Not on you, of course. On our beloved Fire Lord."

Anika bit her lip as her mind cleared somewhat and she started to understand just the amount of danger she was in. "Are you going to kill me?" Anika was glad that the words came out hard and defiant, without giving away a trace of the terror pulsing through her body.

"Yes." The man took a single forefinger and musingly traced it down the length of her jaw. "Slowly, so Zuko will know how much you suffered." The man formed a knife of fire with his hand and casually admired the flickering flames.

"It's nothing personal. You see, Ozai was good enough to pay me a visit after his escape from prison. I helped get him off the mainland, and he instructed me on how to deal with his unfaithful son. The noble warriors who have tried to assasinate Zuko have the right idea, but they're going about it all wrong. Zuko doesn't need to be killed."

The middle-aged man shook his head slowly, delight flashing in his slightly insane eyes. "He needs to be broken. I'm particularly useful because Zuko had a chance to throw me in jail, but he let me go. If I murder his girlfriend, he'll see it as his fault for being so merciful. He won't be able to live with himself. It will destroy him from the inside out, fill him with fury, and turn him into a tougher, more vicious leader the Fire Nation can be proud of."

"You're wrong." Anika snarled up at her captor. "You can kill me if you want, but Zuko will never become corrupt."

The man smiled smugly. "Perhaps. Perhaps, though, you do not know your precious boyfriend as much as you think you do. But I'm getting ahead of myself. You don't even know my name." The man gave Anika a mocking bow. "I am Kuzen, Fire Nation Admiral. Or at least, I used to be before that mistake of a human Zuko came to power. And you are?"

Anika debated staying silent, but she wanted him to know the name of the girl he was about to murder. At the very least, it might haunt him afterwards. "Anika of the Southern Water Tribe."

Kuzen did a double-take. "Impossible. The thugs I hired said you firebent at them."

"I did. I was born because my mother was assaulted by a piece of Fire Nation trash. A man similar to you, I'd imagine."

"Impossible," Kuzen repeated. He grabbed ahold of her chin and stared into her eyes. Anika stared right back, and doing so made her stomach churn. His eyes... it was like looking into a mirror. They were a bit smaller, and there was an evil gleam dancing inside of them that was entirely unfamiliar, but they were hers.

Kuzen murmured, "Is it possible that the encounter with the Water Tribe savage produced more than I had anticipated? You do resemble her. Me as well in some ways, but for the most part you're the spitting image of that primitive waterbender."

Anika's terror was overtaken by a boiling-hot rage. Red filled her vision as she understood who this man was, and she could only manage out three words. "Go to hell."

"I see you've inherited her uncivilized personality as well. That's no way to speak to your father."

"You're not my father," Anika snarled. "You don't have the right to call yourself that."

"As you wish." Kuzen reared a fist and slammed it into the side of her face. Anika let out an involuntary gasp as her head was snapped to the side and her vision spun from the blow. "I may have considered sparing my daughter, but if you wish to dispose of that title, then... Be. My. Guest." Kuzen accentuated each of his words with a steely blow to her stomach or face.

During the last one, Anika's lip slammed against one of her teeth. Hot, coppery-tasting blood filled her mouth. She gathered up a mouthful of it and spat it at Kuzen, then panted, "Unchain me and... fight like someone... with a shred of honor."

"Honor is for fools." Kuzen kicked the chair, and it fell over sideways. Anika's ears rang as her body made contact with the hard floor. "But I guess it wouldn't hurt to see what you've got." There was a pause, then the clink of keys. Anika felt the chains binding her to the chair slip away.

She clambered onto her hands and knees and struggled to get enough air as the world spun in circles. Blood from a bleeding nose she hadn't even noticed fell to the floor in bright red splatters. She focused on the soft sound of blood hitting stone and willed it to snap her out of the haze of pain.

Drip.

Drip.

Drip.

Kuzen's boot made contact with her ribcage, and Anika was sent sprawling onto her side. With an enraged roar, she somehow managed to struggle to her feet and focus on Kuzen.

"Aaarah!" Anika punched a fist forward and sent a blast of fire at his smirking face. He reached up and parted it before it could so much as warm his face. Anika struggled towards him and attacked. Firey kicks and punches from both opponents flew by in a blur. Somewhere deep inside, Anika knew how it would end. A badly-injured amateur had little chance against a healthy firebending master, even when she had the most intense fury she had ever felt on her side.

It was all Anika could do to stay on her feet, and then she didn't even have that. A particularly swift, sweeping kick from Kuzen landed her flat on her back, hard. The air in her body departed with a jarring woosh, taking every ounce of reserved strength and grit with it.

Her enemy wasted no time in planting a foot on her abdomen and smirking down at her battered, quivering form. "I'm impressed. It's interesting that even with all your Water Tribe qualities, my firebending skill shone through in you. Though really, it comes as no surprise. Fire is the superior element, after all."

Kuzen knelt beside her and pulled a knife from a sheath at his side, then rested it against Anika's neck. Anika squeezed her eyes shut as each of her hitching breaths pressed her skin painfully against the sharp blade.

"Tell me, daughter," Kuzen purred, "would you like this to go fast or slow?" Anika's heart sank. She was going to die, that much she knew. The best thing now was to get it over with. Being a half-dead mouse-a plaything in a cat's paw-wasn't a position she could stand.

"J-just k-kill me already," she stammered.

"Slow it is." Kuzen removed his knife from her throat and slashed it diagonally across her right bicep. A short, tortured cry ripped itself from Anika's throat as the knife cut deep into her flesh.

"There." Kuzen's voice remained loud and clear even as Anika's vision slid in and out of focus. "You'll bleed out from that eventually. Now." Anika was only vaguely aware of her body being hoisted into the air and slung easily over one of Kuzen's broad shoulders. "Let's go put you somewhere the Fire Lord can find your body, mm?"

The last thing Anika was aware of before surrendering to the blissful nothing of unconsciousness wasn't the mind-numbing pain pulsing from her bicep and body.

It was a single tear. It traced it's way down her cheek, cutting through dirt and blood and sweat.

A single tear.

Then, black.


	17. Chapter 16: Zuko

Zuko fought back a yawn as he padded through the carpeted halls of the palace. He reached his destination and propped a tray of tea on his hip while he knocked softly on Anika's door. "Anika?" Zuko eased the door open and ventured inside. "I know you had a rough day, so I thought we could talk over some... tea..."

Zuko thoughtfully set the tray down on a dresser as he scanned the room. It was exactly as it had been when he was last here hours ago. Anika's red dress was still a crumpled pile on the floor, and the blankets on the bed were neat and undisturbed. Zuko furrowed his brow. Something was off; she should be back from her walk by now. Maybe those girls at the party had hurt her more than he had thought and she had decided to leave for good.

Zuko tugged open the top drawer of the dresser he had set the tea on. Closely-packed undergarments burst from the compartment, threatening to topple onto the floor. Zuko let out a little squeak of panic as his cheeks exploded in heat.

 _Shit shit shit shit shit_.

He rushed to cram the clothing back into the compartment and slammed it shut, cringing as a piece of fabric stuck out awkwardly from the closed drawer. Scratch that theory; he assumed she would have taken all that if she was going to move out.

Zuko left the tray were it sat and made his way to his own bedroom. He had a bad feeling about this, but he also knew Anika would be angry if he sent out search parties every time she dissapeared for a few hours like an obsessive control-freak. He'd just have to look for her himself.

Zuko reached his room and grabbed a long, dark cloak from his closet. He fastened it around his shoulders and pulled the hood over his dark hair, then headed for the gates of the palace. He wasn't technically supposed to leave right now, but the guards paid more attention to people entering the palace than those leaving it. Luckily for him, there were still some lingering dance guests filtering out through the gates. He slipped into the trickle of people exiting the palace without being noticed and managed to get out onto the streets of the Fire Nation Capital.

Okay, now what? Zuko reasoned that he should start by going to the house on the outskirts of the city he had set aside for Aang to stay in. The small but comfortable cottage was where Avatar Roku had been born and raised, so Zuko had thought the previously uninhabited house would be best used as a place for Aang when he visited. Aang had eagerly agreed, and he and Katara had left for the house after the party to talk.

Maybe Anika had decided to go there. It was a long shot, but it was the best he had to go on at the moment. At the very least, Aang and Katara could help him search. Zuko jogged through the streets towards the distant house, scanning his surroundings for signs of his girlfriend as he went.

Out of nowhere, the dark, overcast sky opened up, and rain began pattering down on all sides. Zuko grit his teeth and kept running, thankful for the hood of his cloak. At least this way the streets would be empty, and he'd have less chance of being recognized.

Eventually, the cobbled roads faded into dirt ones as he passed through the gardens of Capital City. He found his feet naturally leading him to the small memorial statue of Lu Ten he would occasionally visit with Uncle. He lifted his eyes as the statue came into sight and looked into the stone face of his deceased cousin. _Rest in peace, Lu._

That's when he saw her.

Anika was on the stone ground beside the base of the statue, no more than a blur of royal blue and gold in a sea of gray. And red. Too much red.

"Anika!" Zuko's panicked cry tore it's way out of his throat as he found himself running like he'd never run before. He was at her side in a matter of seconds. Zuko skidded to a stop on the slick, wet stone, collapsing onto his knees as the roaring blood of his pounding heartbeat filled his ears so that he could hear nothing else. Zuko's stomach clenched in horror and fury. Who could have done this?

With a jolt of alarm, Zuko noticed that a growing pool of blood was soaking the shoulder he was kneeling by. He moved the fabric of her sleeve with shaking hands to reveal a deep, profusely bleeding wound on her upper bicep. Zuko couldn't hold back a gasp. He managed to collect himself and quickly tore off his cloak, pressing the fabric tightly to the wound.

Anika's eyes fluttered, and she shifted her head slightly to groggily take him in. "Z-Zuko?" she croaked, only to be cut off with weak cough.

"Shhh." Zuko cupped a hand on her cheek, leaving a smudge of blood as he did so. "It's okay, I'm here." Zuko tore his gaze from her face and shifted his focus to the wound. The bleeding showed no signs of slowing, and the section of the cloak he was pressing against it was soaked through. She wouldn't last much longer bleeding at this rate. He had to do something.

Zuko found Anika's hand and pulled it into his own. "Forgive me."

"Wha-" Not letting go of the hand, Zuko raised one knee and placed it on Anika's chest, pinning her down with as gentle of a pressure as he could.

He made sure the gash was closed in a tight line and created a defined, knife-like flame in his free hand. "Hold still." Zuko took a deep breath and touched the flame knife to the wound, slowly sliding it from one end of the cut to the other.

Anika let out a sharp gasp and involuntarily kicked out, jerking away from the source of pain. The hand he was holding in his squeezed with such force he almost thought it would break his fingers. Zuko somehow managed to keep his knee and hands steady, and he plowed ahead with his work as effectively and evenly as possible. He had to seal this wound.

The scar on his eye throbbed, forcing him to recall the day years ago when his father had burned him. The searing, unbearable pain. The same pain he was being forced to inflict on his girlfriend to save her life.

Anika stopped struggling and let out a pain-fueled, strangled scream that eventually broke off into a hitching, broken sob. Her hand quaked in his before going limp in shock. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry." Zuko angrily blinked back the tears that threatened to spill from his eyes as he finally finished. He killed the flame and swung his bracing knee off.

Anika whimpered weakly, staring blankly into the distance with dull eyes. Zuko scooped her into his arms and got to his feet, easily hoisting her into the air. He clutched her to his chest and sped for the best healer in the city he knew of—Katara.

He murmured into Anika's hair as he traveled, just as much to comfort himself as to comfort her. "I've got you." He felt Anika's fists grasp the fabric of his tunic and hold tight. "You're going to be okay, I promise."

Zuko plowed on until he finally came within sight of Aang's house, where Katara was hopefully staying at. He struggled onward until he reached the wooden door. His hands were full, and there was no time to knock and wait. Zuko turned and let out a roar for strength as he kicked the door straight off its hinges and stumbled through the threshold.

Katara and Aang stood from the table they were talking at and stared at the pair with wide, stunned eyes before realization hit. "Anika." Katara's single word was hushed and tense.

"She needs help," Zuko panted in a hoarse, urgent voice. "Now!"

"Bring her in here, on the bed." Katara crossed the kitchen and opened a door that led to a tidy bedroom. "Aang, get me a big bowl of clean water and some bandages. You know where they are."

Zuko staggered into the room before softly lowering his charge onto the covers. He started to straighten, only to realize Anika still had her fists balled in the cloth of his tunic. He reached up and gently tried to loosen her fingers.

Anika whimpered deliriously. "No, Zuko, d-d-don't leave. He'll come back. S-stay. Please." Zuko froze as his heart wrenched in his chest.

He opened his mouth to soothe her, but Katara spoke before he could get a word out. "Zuko, you have to leave so I can work."

"Right." Zuko reluctantly pried Anika's fingers away and forced himself to back out of the room despite the weak cries from Anika that made him want to curl up in the bed beside her and wrap her in his arms. He stumbled numbly to the table and plopped into a chair, then folded his arms on top of the surface and buried his head in them.

He barely registered Aang passing him with the water, murmuring back and forth with Katara, and then exiting the bedroom and softly clicking the door shut behind him. Zuko didn't realize that Aang had crossed the room and sat on a chair next to him until he placed his hand on Zuko's shoulder. "Are you okay?"

"Hmm..." Zuko shrugged Aang's hand away and forced himself into a sitting position. He fixed Aang with a glare. "Now that you mention it, I do have a little stitch in my side from carrying my half-dead girlfriend—" Zuko's voice choked momentarily, but he cleared his throat and continued. "—a mile to the house, but other than that, I'm amazing."

"I'm sorry." Aang's voice wobbled, and he raised an arm and swiped at his tear-filled eyes. "I guess I didn't know what else to say. I can barely think straight."

Zuko stared at his clenched fists, which were streaked with dried blood. Sometimes he forgot that he hadn't known Anika as long as Aang had, much less Katara. Heavy silence consumed the room. The pair sat noiselessly, trying to ignore the grunts and whimpers wafting faintly from the other room. Some time crawled by—ten minutes? An hour? Zuko wasn't sure—before the Avatar broke it.

"Who?" Aang's word was hard and furious, and Zuko didn't have to ask him what he meant.

"I have no idea. She was just lying there alone like they wanted me to find her."

"It doesn't make sense." Aang stood and paced the room. "Who would do something like that? Anika doesn't have any enemies; she doesn't have any reason to."

"No," Zuko whispered, "but I do."

Aang stopped pacing and fixed him with a searching look. "Zuko, don't say that."

Zuko ignored him. "Someone was trying to hurt me, so they went after her because she's my girlfriend. This is my fault." Aang opened his mouth to respond, but at that moment Katara opened the bedroom door and stepped into the room with them.

She stared at them numbly as she said, "I did what I could. She's sleeping now." Her voice was dull and emotionless, as if everything inside of her had been sucked out. "Zuko, you had to cauterize her arm, didn't you?"

Zuko nodded silently.

"It saved her life," Katara said.

"Did it?" Zuko desperately searched Katara's face. "So she'll live?"

Katara opened her mouth, then shut it again. Her chin wobbled, and she brought a hand to her mouth as her hardened healer face broke into a heartbroken expression and tears fell to her cheeks. Aang was at her side in an instant. He pulled her into a hug as she croaked, "I-I don't know. She's h-h-hurt really bad. I just d-don't know." Katara sobbed softly into Aang's shoulder as he swayed gently back and forth.

Zuko only closed his eyes and grit his teeth, his own grief and sorrow burned away by an intense, white-hot fury. Katara collected herself before she shakily spoke again. "She said a lot of names while I was working on her. Mostly yours and mine and our friends'. But there was one I didn't recognize."

Zuko opened his eyes and stared intensely at Katara, holding his breath as he waited for her next word.

"Kuzen."

Zuko stood so fast that his chair flew out from under him and hit the wall a yard away. His fists clenched and ignited in scorching hot flames. When he spoke, his words trembled, choked by the blinding rage that had consumed his entire being. "I'm going to kill him."

With that, he swung open the door and dissapeared into the night to find his prey.

* * *

 _Hope you enjoyed! Friendly reminder that comments are what keeps this thing going. :)_


	18. Chapter 17: Aang

_I'm breaking the pattern this time and replacing Anika's chapter with one from Aang's POV for obvious reasons._

* * *

"I'm going to kill him." Aang's stomach sank in dread as Zuko's words reached his ears. The Fire Lord meant what he said. He watched helplessly as his friend threw open the door and stormed out.

"Go after him." Aang looked at his girlfriend as she spoke, and his torn heart broke even more at the tears he saw on her cheeks. "Make sure he doesn't do anything stupid."

"You'll be okay?"

"I'm not the one on my way to murder someone." Katara gently pushed him towards the door. "Go."

Aang nodded gravely and snatched his glider on the way out of the house. Zuko was already quite a ways away–he knew where he was going, wherever that happened to be. Aang snapped his glider open and launched into the air, following Zuko as slowly and discreetly as possible.

Bending the cool air around him usually helped him calm down, but not today. He had no idea who this Kuzen guy was, but if he had done that to Anika–rage rose in Aang's chest, and he struggled to keep himself out of the Avatar State. His duty as Avatar meant he would have to stop Zuko from killing Kuzen without due process of law, but if he was being honest, he'd never before in his life wanted someone dead more. He just hoped he was strong enough to stick with what he needed to do.

Zuko reached a sizable house and kicked down the door with an explosion of flames that reminded Aang of the fire that benders had been able to produce during Sozin's comet. Firebending really _was_ fueled by emotions.

He swooped down and landed lightly in front of the house, closing his glider with a click and gripping it with white knuckles as he jogged through the smoking hole where a door had stood moments before. He froze at the threshold, unsure of which way to go. Zuko was nowhere in sight.

There was a loud thump to his left, followed by an enraged shout. **"WHY DID YOU DO IT?"**

Well, that was easy. Aang sprinted down the front hallway and through the first doorway to his left. It opened up into a spacious office. Zuko had pinned a middle-aged man against a wall. He had the front of the man's robe bunched up in one fist and a ball of fire roaring in his other one.

The man appeared completely composed, and he even let out a loud, mocking laugh. "A father has the right to discipline his children. You of all people have experienced that."

Zuko faltered slightly, clearly caught off guard. "What are you talking about?"

"Please, Zuko. Don't you see the resemblance? Pity you can't even recognize your own girlfriend's father."

Aang's breath froze in his chest as the gears of his brain clicked into place and he understood. Zuko realized what Kuzen meant at the exact same time the Avatar did. "You _bastard_ ," he spat.

Aang realized what his friend was going to do a millisecond before he could do it. "Zuko, no!" Aang swiftly bent up a section of the stone floor and rammed it against Zuko, knocking him to the side.

The ball of fire meant to end Kuzen shot out sideways and unintentionally flew towards Aang. He immediately sent a funnel of air into the center of the fire, spreading it out into a spray of harmless sparks. Zuko was on his feet in an instant, clutching his side with one arm. "Leave us, Aang. This isn't your fight."

"No, Zuko. I won't let you kill him."

"I thought you cared about Anika, Aang." Zuko stepped towards Kuzen, who had fallen to his knees somewhere in the middle of the scuffle. He grabbed a handful of Kuzen's hair and wrenched the man's face toward Aang so the Avatar was forced to look into his face. Kuzen still managed to seem completely tranquil, and he smiled at Aang with a kind of sadistic, knowing grin.

"Is this the face of a man who deserves to live?" Zuko released Kuzen's hair and roughly shoved him down so that he crashed face-first to the floor. "He assaulted Anika's mother, Aang. He was a terrible man serving under my father, and now he's almost killed one of our closest friends. Hell, maybe he has killed her. I don't know. All I do know is that he doesn't deserve to draw another breath."

Zuko planted his foot in the middle of Kuzen's back. "Leave and let me finish this."

"He's right, you know." Kuzen craned his neck up from where he was pinned on the floor and looked up at Aang with a madman's gleam in his eye. "I lost my life's work when this fool came to power, but at least I got my revenge where it hurt the most. My death will leave an unpleasant stain on his rule. Just let him do it."

"No." Aang's face twisted into a snarl. "You aren't worth my friend's reputation." With that, Aang bent a ball of stone from the ground and threw it at Kuzen's head at just the right angle, knocking him out cold.

Aang looked up at Zuko, who had formed a knife of fire in his hand. "Zuko, don't do this. Violence isn't the way. You can't start your rule as Fire Lord by murdering people you think should die without any sort of trial or justice system."

"Do I look like I give a damn about my reputation?" Zuko's voice broke as tears flowed freely down his cheeks. "You saw what he did. He deserves to die. He deserves to–"

Aang didn't let him finish. He stepped forward and took ahold of the hand holding the fire knife and tugged it aside. The fire died into nothing as Aang pulled his friend into a fierce hug. He could sense Zuko's built-up horror and shock release itself all at once. Zuko let out a heartbroken, outraged cry that faded into shakey breaths as his shoulders shook with grief. Aang only stood still and firm with Zuko securely in his arms, tears escaping his own eyes and sliding down his face.

After a bit, Zuko's managed to compose himself and pulled away. Aang pointed to the door. "Get your law enforcement. We're going to lock him up for the rest of his life. I'll stay here and watch Kuzen."

Zuko frowned. "What, you don't trust me to watch him?"

"Not really, no." Aang looked down at Kuzen's unconscious form as hate simmered in his gut. "I barely trust myself."

Zuko only paused a moment before nodding sharply and vanishing out the door. With Zuko gone, Aang let himself drop to his knees and hold his head in his hands. Words from minutes ago bounced around in his head like a cruel echo. _He's almost killed one of our closest friends. Hell, maybe he_ _has_ _killed her._ Anika was strong, and Katara was a skilled healer, but Aang had seen the damage.

Kuzen knew what he was doing. If she really died, it might be Zuko's breaking point from a wise, confident ruler to a twisted, fury-fueled dictator. That couldn't happen.

 _Hang in there, Anika. Zuko needs you._

 _We all do._


	19. Chapter 18: Zuko

Zuko bowed his head sleepily as he sat on the stool next to Anika's bed, struggling to keep his sleep-deprived body awake. It had been three days since the attack. Anika was locked in an intense fever, fading in and out of consciousness. Katara and a small army of the most renowned healers in the nation had been working on her almost nonstop. Zuko took every moment of peace and inactivity to sit at her bedside, as if his presence might be able to be pull her out of the haze of delirium she was suspended in.

"Zuko... Z-Zuko." Zuko's head snapped up as soon as Anika began stammering, her voice hoarse and feverish.

"Shh, it's okay." Zuko immediately stood from his stool and leaned over her. He cupped the side of her face with one hand and gently turned her head so her eyes rested on his. "Go back to sleep."

Anika blinked a few times in confusion, her eyes slightly out of focus. Then her whimpers continued. "W-where is Zuko? What did you do to him?"

"Annie, I'm right here." Zuko's free hand found Anika's palm and squeezed it gently. He winced at the amount of heat that pulsed from it-she was burning up. Fevers tended to hit firebenders more aggressively than other people. "I'm right here," he repeated helplessly.

Anika jerked her hand from his. "G-get away from me! You hurt Zuko, didn't you?" The tears pooled in Anika's eyes spilled over onto her cheeks, and she let out a weak sob. "Why are you doing this?"

Zuko felt pressure building behind his own eyes as he looked on helplessly. "It's me, Anika. I'm fine, dammit." In a last-ditch effort, he spread open Anika's clenched fist and brought it to his face.

Anika's cries faded into hiccups as her hand ran over his features and came to rest over the ruined skin of his scar. "Zuko." Her hoarse whisper was tinged relief and peace.

"That's right." Zuko sank back into his chair, keeping her hand held securely on his scar. "I'm not going anywhere."

"Okay." Anika's voice sounded slightly off as the fever stripped her of all but her most basic personality. "Hey. I love you, Zu."

Zuko tried to laugh warmly, but the sound came out cracked as his heart tried to wrench itself from his chest. He collected himself before whispering, "I love you too, Fire lily."

"I'm... glad," Anika mumbled. Zuko could tell that she was relaxing, slipping back into slumber. Soon her chest rose and fell with the deep, measured breaths of sleep. He eased her hand off of his scar and clutched it in both of his as he closed his eyes tiredly.

He heard the door open and then softly shut. Familiar footsteps crossed the room. Zuko didn't open his weary eyes to see who it was as a hand gripped his shoulder with a steady, comforting pressure. He didn't need to. "Uncle. How did you get here from Ba Sing Se so fast?"

"The Avatar was kind enough to fly me here on his sky bison. Not my favorite mode of transportation, I must admit, but I'm needed here. How are you holding up?"

Zuko swallowed hard and forced his eyes open to gaze at his girlfriend's still form. He gently set the hand he was holding down on the bed before clenching his fists. "I thought that after being scarred and banished, I'd experienced the most pain and shame anyone could possibly feel. I thought I was strong because I'd never go through anything worse than that." Zuko's voice hardened. "I was wrong. I caused this, uncle. Knowing that is killing me inside more. I was—I _am_ —weak."

"That is where you're wrong, Zuko."

Zuko flew to his feet and spun to face his uncle. "Really? Then why did I let pride blind me when I chose to let Kuzen go after he threatened me and the people I love? Why was I so arrogant and stupid? How come I couldn't save Anika from being hurt by my stupid choices?" Zuko angrily blinked back the tears collecting in his eyes. _Weak, weak, weak_. "Katara is trying to stay positive, but the other healers think that Anika's not going to make it. I can't stand it, uncle. I can't live with myself."

"Do you know why Kuzen hurt Anika?" Iroh reached forward and clutched the sides of Zuko's arms for emphasis. "He wanted to make you doubt yourself like this. My nephew, you have to understand that the attack was Kuzen's fault, not yours. You must not torture yourself over the actions of another."

"So I'm not allowed to feel terrible? Zuko tore himself from his uncle's grasp and dropped back into his chair with a dull thump. "I'm not allowed to be furious?"

Iroh sighed. "Those emotions are right and natural, but just make sure you are directing them at the real perpetrators and not yourself."

"I'll work at forgiving myself if she lives." Zuko's voice was cold and hollow as he cradled his head in his hands. He took a shaky breath. "Just... just tell me she'll live."

"Zuko," Iroh murmured. His voice was gentle but firm, the meaning clear: _you know I can't do that._

Zuko rubbed his closed eyes and slowly shook his head. "This is pathetic, isn't it? I'm acting so wounded, you'd think I was the one who got attacked and not Anika."

Iroh's hand found Zuko's shoulder again. "No more pathetic than how I acted after my son's passing. The only difference is that Lu Ten was gone. Anika is still alive. I cannot promise that she will live, but I can remind you that she is strong and stubborn. Anika won't give in to this without a fight."

Zuko nodded and straightened in his chair with a weary sigh. After a couple beats of silence, Iroh began to absentmindedly hum the song Zuko had become familiar with over the years: "Leaves from the Vine". The gentle, somewhat sorrowful notes oddly filled Zuko with acceptance and something like peace.

After a minute or two, Iroh paused and tugged curiously at something in Zuko's hair. "What are these?"

"Huh?" Zuko brought a hand to the back of his neck and fingered the trio of little braids buried under his hair. He must have somehow forgotten about them since Anika's birthday. She'd knotted them well; they'd survived a couple weeks of washing and being pulled into top knots. "Oh. These are warrior weaves. In the water tribes, they symbolize great bravery."

Iroh's next word was surprised and thoughtful. "Really?"

Zuko shook his head. "Nah. They just symbolize an annoying girlfriend."

Iroh chuckled gently. "Careful. If Anika hears you, she might just wake up and slap you across the face."

Zuko smiled as sadness and love slammed together in his chest, twisting and swirling as each wrestled the other to get the upper hand. "I wouldn't be surprised."

He gazed at Anika's slumbering face, relaxed and peaceful and very much alive. It was beautiful despite the cuts and bruises strewn across it. For the first time since he had found her crumpled beside the statue, Zuko allowed himself to hope.


	20. Chapter 19: Anika

When Anika first emerged from the haze of her illness, she felt like she was drowning, clawing her way through murky water from the muck below. After what seemed like an eon, she metaphorically broke the surface and was surrounded by blissfully sweet air. Even though her eyes were closed, the world sharpened into focus. Her mind was clear and open. Sounds of murmuring and rustling reached her ears with amazing clarity. Then the dull numbness of her injuries intensified as well, and she stifled a groan as she pried her heavy eyelids open.

Her vision slid in and out of focus before clearing completely, and Anika took a moment to scan her surroundings. She was in her room at the palace. The curtains of the large windows across the room were pushed aside to allow in the golden light of a beautiful sunset.

She was alone except for a single person... Zuko. He was seated on a chair at her bedside. One leg was propped up on her bed as if sitting there was the most natural thing in the world, something he did day in and day out. Zuko was intently pursuing an old-looking scroll, brow furrowed and a lip thoughtfully held between his teeth. When she cleared her throat, his head snapped up to take her in. "Hi, Zuko."

"Hey, Fire lily," Zuko beamed. His boot-clad foot slipped from her bed and to the ground, and he leaned forward to tuck a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "Your fever broke yesterday, and the doctors said you'd be waking up sometime soon. How are you feeling?"

"Like I just got trampled by a Komodo rhino," Anika said, only half-joking. She looked down at herself. A far as she could tell, she wasn't wearing any actual clothing aside from her silk pajama pants, but her entire torso was covered with neat white bandages. Her gaze fell to her shoulder and the angry gash running diagonally across her bicep.

"Katara just finished a healing session," Zuko rushed out apologetically when he saw where she was looking. "It's been bandaged up for days, so she thought she'd let the area get a little air."

Anika nodded absentmindedly but didn't take her gaze from the wound. A dark, reddish-black line marked where Kuzen had sliced her open, but there was more. Shiny, red, blistered skin surrounded the main line. The redness made a flame pattern that reminded Anika of the ragged edges of Zuko's scar. How did that happen? Anika reached back in her memory and somehow managed to pull out warped, fragmented memories of Zuko finding her—he'd sealed the wound, hadn't he?

"I'm sorry." Anika looked up at her boyfriend in confusion as Zuko gazed numbly at her arm, a pained expression on his face. "I tried to keep my blade as small as possible, but flames are a hard thing to keep neat and constrained."

Anika brushed aside the apology. "Yeah, how dare you scar me in order to save my life? Might as well break up with you right now." Anika smiled warmly at her own teasing comment, only to be met with a somber expression from her boyfriend.

"That reminds me. Anika, if you don't want to continue our relationship, I'll accept it. The only reason you were targeted was because you're my girlfriend. I can't let you—"

Anika's stomach twisted hard in her gut. "Y-you're breaking up with me?"

Zuko's eyes widened. "No, of course not! I've just been thinking lately that you might not want to be with me after everything that's..."

Anika nodded, cutting off his explanation. "You're right."

Zuko wilted as if that was the last thing he wanted to hear. "I-I am?"

"Yeah, the relationship is just too dangerous. I guess this is it."

Zuko bowed his head and ran a hand through his hair, then lifted his face and stared hard at something outside the window. "Okay, Anika. I understand."

"Zuko?"

"Mm?"

"Can I have one last kiss?"

Zuko's broken expression softened ever so slightly. "I think that could be arranged," he murmured. He stood and stooped over her, his lips tenderly brushing against hers.

Anika reached up with her good arm and found one of Zuko's hands, then pulled it towards her a little too forcefully. Zuko lost his balance and topped onto the bed. He should have crushed her, but his reflexes kicked in just in time, and his hands and knees planted themselves harmlessly on empty sections of the mattress.

Anika smirked up at his surprised face as he gasped, "I could have landed on you!"

Anika shrugged and lifted her arms to settle her hands over his neck. "You reminded me of how much I miss the feel of your lips. I needed more."

"And pulling me on top of you was the only way to get it?"

Anika laughed. "Maybe not, but that was the fastest way that came to mind."

Zuko gazed down at her for two beats, his face a picture of bewilderment. Then a soft, strangled growl escaped from deep in his throat, and the next thing she knew, he had stooped down and brought their faces together. His lips moved against hers with a type of tender passion she'd never experienced before. She'd shared shy kisses, spur-of-the-moment kisses, loving kisses, kisses driven by hungry desire. This was somehow different. It was intense and gentle at the same time, spurred by the energy of someone relishing something they feared they'd never get to experience again.

Zuko's hands lost themselves in her hair, cupped her jaw, trailed down her neck. When he finally began to pull back, Anika bit gently on his lip for just a moment, wanting the experience to linger for a second more.

Anika shook her head as Zuko straightened his arms and gazed down at her. "Dammit, I guess I can't break up with you after all. You're just too good at kissing. I'm also a little in love with you." Anika's pain seemed to melt away as she stared into Zuko's golden eyes and her heart swelled in her chest. "That too."

"You only said you wanted to break up so you could do this, didn't you?"

Anika smirked mischievously. "Maybe."

"Well, it-"

"I brought the fresh bandag-" Anika saw Zuko's eyes widen in horror as Katara's voice drifted in from the hallway, only to cut off abruptly as she entered the room.

Zuko immediately pushed off from where his hands were planted on either side of Anika's face and leaned back onto his heels on the bed. He reached up and sheepishly rubbed his neck. "Err, I can ex–"

"zuKO!" Katara crossed the room and grabbed the Fire Lord's collar, dragging him off of the bed. "She's been awake for two minutes! TWO MINUTES!"

"B-but, I, she-"

"I don't want to hear it!"

Anika rolled her eyes. "Katara, I'm perfectly healthy. See?" She gripped the sides of the bed and began to push herself up into a seated position. Anika let out a pained hiss as the scar on her bicep throbbed in protest and her torso began to quake from the exertion.

"Easy!" Zuko's strong hands flew to her hips and gently helped her the rest of the way up. "You've just recovered from a serious fever that was your body's reaction to an attack that nearly killed you. The healers said you broke a couple ribs, too. You need to give yourself time to relax and recover."

Katara scoffed. "Says the guy who climbed on top of her the second she came to."

Zuko turned crimson. "Okay, you're making it sound terrible. That's not what happened."

Anika folded her hands in front of herself and nodded solemnly. "Yeah, that's basically what happened."

Zuko nodded appreciatively. "Thank you, An-hey!"

"Whatever happened, you need to step aside, loverboy. I don't want the burn to get infected." Katara made her way to Anika's side and began to bind the wound on Anika's bicep, shaking her head the whole time.

Zuko edged towards the door, and Anika raised her gaze to meet his the second before he slipped out of the doorway. Zuko paused, smiled, and mouthed three words before ducking into the hallway.

Anika closed her eyes and did her best to tune out her adoptive sister's disapproving muttering. She ran a reply through her thoughts as she slipped into the sweet release of sleep. _I love you too._


	21. Chapter 20: Zuko

_-Two Months Later-_

Zuko stared at his father's back and gripped the cold prison bars enclosing the previous Fire Lord in his cell. "I came here to tell you that you failed." Zuko grit his teeth as his father sat in stony silence, not even bothering to turn to face his son. "Despite your best efforts, Anika is alive and well. You were captured and thrown back into jail, and Kuzen is locked somewhere where he'll never see the light of day again. You can't control me. I'm going to live a long, successful life despite everything you've ever done to try to drag me into the mud."

Zuko's face twisted into a snarl as his father continued to sit in silence. "Well?! Don't you have anything to say?"

One beat of silence.

Two beats.

Three.

Zuko pushed himself away from the prison bars as if they had burned him. "Have it your way, then."

Just as Zuko turned to leave, Ozai's cruel laugh began to bounce off the stone walls. "You're even more foolish than I remember." Zuko slowly spun back around to face his father as Ozai stood and turned, his eyes glittering like two living flames. "Have you already forgotten what I'm capable of? You really think Kuzen was the only one I visited during my escape?"

Ozai lunged forward in his cell, and Zuko stumbled back a step out of old instinct. Ozai grinned in satisfaction. "I knew Kuzen might be unsuccessful. He is skilled and loyal, but he has a flare for the dramatic that is his downfall. I was prepared for him to draw things out and ultimately fail. Betting on it, even. I spoke with others, men you haven't even heard of. They'll come for you. They'll come for your precious girlfriend. You _will_ become the kind of ruler I desire you to be, or you will die as a weak fool. It will be interesting to see which one you choose."

Ozai turned and settled back down onto the floor, still managing to keep his air of superiority despite the circumstances. "As you said, _have it your way_."

Zuko scrambled for a confident comeback, but his heart had turned to ice in his chest. His mouth worked silently up and down a few times before he balled his hands into fists. "You're wrong. I can take anything you throw at me, and so can Anika. I'm not afraid of you or your men."

Ozai didn't reply, but his turned back began to slowly shake as he let out low, mocking chuckles. Zuko turned on his heel and stormed from the cell, desperate to escape the terrible sound. He hurried from the prison and out into the streets of the Fire Nation Capital. A terrible feeling suddenly overcame him. The other men his father had talked to were waiting for a moment when he was separated from Anika to attack. A moment like this one. A sudden image of a man digging a knife into Anika's throat shot across his mind.

 _No_. No, no, no. Zuko felt a cold sweat bead on his forehead, and he broke into a sprint for the palace. Ever since he could remember, he'd been one step behind his father. Houses and carriages flew by in a blur as Zuko's heart climbed into his throat. One step was all it took for someone to die, to be killed because of his foolishness. Why had he left her alone? Zuko somehow managed to push himself to run faster as he neared the palace and what waited for him inside.

He was going to be too late. He was going to—just as Zuko reached the palace courtyard, his eyes fell on Anika, who was casually squaring off against a training dummy.

"Anika!" Zuko was by his girlfriend in an instant. He scooped her into his arms and spun around three times as he buried his face in her soft hair.

"Zuko, what are you—" Anika was laughing as he set her down, her eyes bright with amusement. Zuko stooped down and brought his mouth right to her still-laughing lips, reveling in the sound of her laughter, the feel of her lips, the touch of her skin... the normalcy and safeness of it all.

Zuko pulled away and cupped one of her cheeks in his hand. "For a second there, I thought... I thought that..." Zuko took a shaky breath and shook his head. "It doesn't matter what I thought."

Zuko's hand slipped from Anika's cheek, and he stepped back a few feet. "Firebend at me."

Anika titled her head at the sudden change of subject. "What? Why?"

Zuko shook his head impatiently. "Doesn't matter. Just give me everything you've got."

Anika blinked, then settled back into a fighting stance. "Oka-ay..." She took a deep breath, then launched towards him, a ball of flames swirling in front of her punching hand.

Zuko snatched Anika's fist and smothered the flames flickering over her knuckles with his own bending. He pushed her arm aside and furrowed his brow in frustration. "No! That's not fast enough; there isn't enough power. Again!"

The last of Anika's happy smile fell from her face. "Why are we doing this?"

"We haven't been training enough, is all." Zuko waved her on impatiently. "Do that again, but better this time."

Anika frowned slightly, but she raised her fists all the same and repeated the move, this time adding a powerful shout that added more flames to the the blow. Zuko sidestepped the punch and grabbed her arm. He used it to twist her around and into his chest.

"Ahrg!" Anika let out a grunt of protest. "Zuko, you're hurting me!"

"I am?" Zuko immediately released her, reprimanding himself for being too rough, too soon.

He felt a jolt of guilty alarm as Anika reached a hand up to her scarred bicep and rubbed it gingerly. "Still a bit sore."

"Of course. I'm sorry, I guess I got a little carried away. That's enough practicing for today." Zuko crossed his arms over of his chest. "But we're getting up bright and early tomorrow morning to get back to work. I want to teach you a couple firebending moves that are based off of waterbending. You should be able to get an extra bit of power from those."

Anika put her hands on her hips. "Why the sudden obsession with training?"

"I just want you to be prepared to fight back if you ever get attacked again. You need to be more skilled than you were when you were abducted by Kuzen's thugs."

Anika frowned irritably. "That's a bit unfair. They chi-blocked me, Zuko. Azula is one of the most powerful firebenders in the world, and even she was helpless after that kind of attack. Some things are just beyond my control."

"Well, maybe if I had trained you better, you could have fought Kuzen enough to get away."

Anika balked at him before her face clouded with anger. She stepped forward and jabbed a finger at Zuko's chest. "By the time he unchained me, I was so hurt I couldn't see straight. You have no idea what I went through, Zuko. You don't know what you're talking about."

Zuko backed away defensively. "That's true, I don't. But I do know that you almost died, and maybe if you were a better firebender, it wouldn't have happened. You need to improve, to become the best of the best. I can't let you get hurt that badly again, Anika. I can't let you die. You could be a target at any moment, and you're all but helpless!"

 _"I can take care of myself!"_ In a burst of anger, Anika launched forward and reared back her arm. Caught completely off-guard, Zuko didn't think fast enough, and he stood frozen as Anika slammed a fist into his jaw. The force of the blow sent him sprawling backward and onto the ground.

Stone connected with skin, and his palms burned as they were rubbed raw by the ground. Zuko raised a hand to his already-throbbing jaw and stared up at Anika in hurt surprise. Anika's chin wobbled, her expression a broken mixture of hurt and anger and regret. She opened her mouth as if to apologize before spinning around and running into the palace.

Zuko groaned and rolled gloomily onto his back. He was so _stupid_! He had meant to get across that he was concerned for her safety and wanted to make sure she was a prepared fighter, but everything had come out wrong. He'd made it sound like he blamed her for not being talented enough to escape during the attack.

"Fire Lord Zuko! Back from the prisons, I see."

Zuko pulled himself to his feet at the sound of his advisor's voice. "Yeah. Just... err, resting."

"Well, there's no time for basking in the sun, I'm afraid. You have a meeting with an Earth Kingdom representative in a few minutes, and then I have you booked for three different..." Zuko gloomily listened to the long list of duties scheduled for the day as a fist of dread tightened it's grip on his insides.

He wouldn't have time to apologize to Anika like he wanted to. It was probably for the best. He wasn't sure what he'd say, and somehow his apologies always seemed to make situations worse. "That's all fine, but I have a request," Zuko blurted, cutting off his advisor just as he began to prattle on about a dinner with the top generals. "Think you could get a bouquet of flowers sent to diplomat Anika's room?"

His advisor blinked in surprise before letting out a sigh and making a mark on the scroll he was carrying. "It could be arranged. I must remind you that I'm not the florist, Lord Zuko. Perhaps it would be more appropriate to ask one of the servants in the future. What is it, her birthday?"

"Huh? Oh, no. She's just a little angry with me."

"I see." His advisor made another mark on the scroll as he muttered dryly, "better ask for an extra large arrangement, then."

"Yeah..." Zuko winced as he remembered Anika's hurt expression and his jaw ached in memory of her fist slamming into it. "Let's go with that."

"You look worried, Fire Lord. Try to ease your mind and focus on the tasks at hand. In my experience, when two people love each other, arguments and bumps in the road find ways to resolve themselves."

Zuko nodded absently as his stomach twisted itself into knots of worry. "I hope you're right."


	22. Chapter 21: Anika

_Anika's throat burned as she sprinted through the darkness. Her entire body screamed with exhaustion, and her legs felt like they were encased in lead as she forced herself to keep moving. Just one more step... now one more..._

 _Kuzen's cruel laugh attacked her ears and filled her with dread. "I'll destroy you, and then I'll destroy Zuko. You're helpless to stop me."_

 _"N-no..." Anika found that she could no longer move. She stood frozen in place as her father closed in on her. "Y-you're locked away in jail. You can't h-hurt Zuko from there."_

 _"Can't I?" A hand gripped her shoulder from behind, and as if a switch had been flipped, Anika found that she could move again. She spun around and punched the man behind her as hard as she could. Her fist collided with his jaw, and her father let out a cry as he fell backwards._

 _Anika stood over him, panting, as he moaned and cupped his face. In that moment, Anika realized that it wasn't her father that she had punched. The golden eyes of her victim upturned themselves to look at her. Zuko._

 _Anika gasped and reached out for him. "Zuko, I-"_

 _"Get away from me!" Zuko scooted backwards, his expression angry and fearful._

 _Her father's bodiless laugh roared at her once again. "I don't need to be free from prison to destroy Zuko. I have you, daughter. I'm so proud; you're becoming just. Like. Me."_

Anika gasped for air as she shot straight up in bed. A shrill, horrified scream echoed off of the walls, and it took her a moment to realize it was coming from her. Her hand flew to her mouth, and she began to shake as the shrieks melted into gasping, broken whimpers.

Anika lowered herself back into her bed and bunched the covers around her chin. Tears slipped silently down her face. She had to bite her lip to hold herself back from crying and waking up the half of the palace that hadn't heard her scream.

Suddenly the door to her room burst open. Anika struggled into a half-sitting position, gazing at the intruder in shock. It was Zuko, and he looked furious. A ball of flame flickered in one of his hands, shedding changing light on his bare chest and loose pajama pants as he scanned the room. He'd obviously burst out of bed in what he had been sleeping in.

"WHAT'S... oh." His eyes fell on Anika, and his wild eyes softened into understanding. No intruders, just nightmares. As if she wasn't miserable enough, now Anika was embarrassed. She burrowed back under the covers and waited for him to leave and go back to sleep.

There was a soft shuffling, and then she heard Zuko's voice beside her bed, soft and slightly hoarse from just waking up. "May I?"

Anika opened her eyes to find him looking down at her hesitantly. She nodded silently and shifted over, and Zuko slipped into the bed beside her. His strong arms circled her torso and pulled her close. Anika's wildly pumping heart gradually slowed as the smooth rise and fall of Zuko's chest calmed her down.

After a bit, Zuko cleared his throat awkwardly. "So, I saw that you left the flowers in the hallway. Did I mess something up? Were they the wrong color, or...?"

Anika sighed in frustration as her bubble of contentment popped and she came crashing back to reality. She broke free from her boyfriend and plopped sulkily on her back just beyond his touch. "Flying hog monkeys, they weren't the wrong color! You can be so clueless sometimes! I didn't want a bouquet of flowers. Some things can't be bought with money and a powerful position as Fire Lord. I just wanted to talk things through face to face. All those things you said... you hurt me, Zuko." She paused, and when she spoke again, her irritated voice had softened. "And I hurt you."

Anika rolled over onto her side and formed a ball of fire in her palm to shed light on her boyfriend. She used her free hand to brush her fingers softly against the large, blue-black bruise on Zuko's jawline. "I'm sorry, Zu. I don't know what I-"

"Shhh ." Zuko reached up and placed his hand over Anika's, putting out the flickering flames and cloaking them back in darkness. "Don't apologize. I deserved it."

"What you said didn't give me a good reason to physically-"

"I was being a disrespectful jerk and pushing you too hard, end of story. So." Zuko used the hand still holding hers and gently tugged Anika closer to him on the bed. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"You mean, talk about why I was screaming my head off a couple minutes ago?"

"That was the general idea."

Anika sighed and bit her lip before murmuring, "just a nightmare. I... I became like my dad and hurt you. I don't really want to talk about it."

"I see." Zuko was silent for a moment as if considering something. "You know what?" He rolled out of the bed and began gathering up Anika's covers. "This gloomy palace is nowhere to recover from a nightmare. Come with me."

"Where-?"

"You'll see." Zuko nodded his head towards the door, already on on his way out. "Follow me."

Anika slipped out of bed and paused as her bare feet sank into her thick carpet. She looked down at what she was wearing: silk pajama pants and a cloth binding her chest like a bra. That was it. "Zuko, I don't really think I'm dressed enough to..."

"You're fine. I mean, look at me." Zuko spread out his arms pointedly, exposing his bare chest as the blanket he was holding swept to the side.

Anika nodded, then said, "Don't move."

"Don't... what?" Zuko tilted his head in confusion as Anika walked up to him. "I don't have something on me, do I?"

"Hmm..." Anika stopped a couple feet in front of him and tapped her chin as if looking for something as she surveyed the lean, athletic landscape of his shoulders and torso. "Nope, don't think so. Thanks for the view, though." Anika brushed past him into the hallway, trailing her fingertips across the gentle slopes of his muscles as she passed.

Anika turned her head to look back at Zuko after she has taken a couple steps and stifled a laugh when she saw that he was still frozen in place, suspended in a kind of pleased shock. "C'mon, slowpoke. I don't know where you're taking us, remember?"

"Right." Zuko came back to life and hurried to catch up, blanket balled up under one arm and a sheepish blush noticeable on his cheeks even in the dim hallway. He led her across the palace and through several hallways Anika had never been through, then pulled down a torch on one of the walls. The stone slid away, and Zuko led her into a tiny courtyard she never even knew existed.

A large hammock was set up in one corner, and a gurgling fountain with several rose bushes took up the other. Anika rubbed her shoulders as the chilly night air circled her bare arms. "Where are we?"

"A dusty old armoury that I had repurposed into a kind of anti-stress room." Zuko gestured up at the star-speckled sky above them. "I had them tear out the roof and add this stuff. It's for when I get worked up and a stuffy castle won't cut it to get me to relax. Not many people know about it."

Anika smiled softly as she noticed a beautiful blooming lotus painted on one of the stone walls. "Let me guess..."

"My uncle's idea," Zuko finished with an embarrassed shrug. "I thought it was pretty pointless, but it's actually really nice." Zuko crossed the courtyard and settled into the hammock, one leg casually hanging off the side. "There's only one hammock, though, so you'll have to take the floor," he teased.

Anika raised an eyebrow. "Good one." With that, she lowered herself next to him and snuggled against his side. Zuko tugged to blanket over the both of them and sighed in content as the hammock swayed gently back and forth. Anika found her eyes naturally drawn to the silvery stars above them.

"See that constellation?" Zuko said as he pointed to a gleaming patch of stars slightly brighter than the rest. "That's the first Fire Lord. The stars circling his head represent the Fire Islands that he united."

Anika tilted her head. "Really? I'm not certain because it's in a way different position than it is in the South Pole, but I'm prettyyyyy sure that's 'The Jester.' It's a foolish boy juggling his sea prunes instead of eating them. The story goes that they fell back into the ocean and he starved to death."

There was a beat of silence, then Zuko managed, "You're telling me... that the constellation that represents the sacred history of one of my most important ancestors... is part of a story used to get Water Tribe kids to not play with their food?"

Anika giggled. "Looks like it. Did your high-and-mighty ancestor die of sea prune deprivation, by any chance?"

"Hey now." Zuko tried to keep his voice stern, but Anika caught a trace of amusement under his words. "My heritage is a very serious matter."

"Of couuuurse," Anika crossed an arm over Zuko's chest and rested her hand on the crook between his neck and shoulder as she nestled closer. "I hate to break it to you, but your impressive bloodline isn't the reason I love you so much."

Zuko laughed softly and reached up a hand to swirl lazy circles on her arm with his thumb. "That's fine by me." He let out a yawn as his thumb slowed to a stop, his hand still resting comfortably on her forearm. "I'm exhausted... let's try to get some sleep."

Anika smiled to herself as she mumbled, "something tells me that's not going to be too hard."

There would be times to worry about dating the Fire Lord and the responsibilities and dangers that came with it. Right now, she just wanted to be held in her boyfriend's arms and feel safe and loved. Anika closed her eyes and let Zuko's warm, steady embrace melt away the lingering shadows from her nightmare and lull her to sleep.


	23. Chapter 22: Zuko

_This story is coming to a close pretty soon... only two chapters left after this one. I just want to thank all of you guys for reading, favoriting, and following this story. It's all noticed and honestly what made finishing this project possible. :)_

Zuko yawned as he surfaced from sleep and slowly became aware of his surroundings. He began to shift and stretch until he realized that he had something- _someone_ -partially on top of him. His eyes opened and looked around in confusion before resting on Anika. The events of the night before rushed back to him, and he settled back down to wait for her to wake up.

He'd seen his girlfriend sleeping when she was sick after Kuzen's attack, but this slumber was something entirely different. Her face was peaceful, completely free from any trace of worry or pain. She had her arms comfortably affixed around him as if having him as close as possible comforted her.

Zuko found his gaze drawn to the scar on her bicep. The angry, violent mark contrasted sharply with her otherwise peaceful state. The skin had fully healed, but this fact only made it abundantly clear that the scar would never disappear. She'd been treated right away, so the cut and burned skin around it were smoother and slightly more faded than the one Zuko had on his eye, but the damage had been done. Zuko knew he'd saved her life, but he hated the fact that the marks marring her skin were the products of his own flames.

Zuko shook his head to clear his thoughts just as Anika began to shift beside him. Her eyes fluttered, and she let out a groggy mumble of content as her hand moved from where it grasped his shoulder and slid slowly to rest over his chest.

Zuko smiled, his free hand tracing the smooth skin of her back and coming to rest over the dip of her waist. "Morning, beautiful."

"Mor..." Anika paused in the middle of her reply before hissing in a sharp whisper, "Oh, shit. Shit, shit, _shit_!" She rolled straight out of the hammock, sending Zuko toppling onto the ground after her.

He pulled himself to his feet and gazed at his girlfriend in bewilderment as she anxiously bounced on the balls of her feet. "Are you okay?"

"We overslept." Anika pointed at the door. "There are people in there. Cooking and cleaning and walking through the halls."

Zuko tilted his head. "And?"

"AND, neither of us is wearing clothes!"

Zuko looked down at his pajama pants. "Yes, we are."

"But they're, y'know..." Anika swept an arm down the length of her body for emphasis, and Zuko couldn't help but admire her toned stomach and smooth, gently-curved calves in the light of day. "...nightclothes!"

Zuko sighed, barely containing the amused smile threatening to break over his face. "People wear less when they go to the beach. It's fine." He stepped forward and took her hand in his. "Let's go."

Anika took a step backwards as her eyes widened in panic. "What will the servants think?"

Zuko shrugged. "Who cares what they think? We didn't do anything last night. And even if we had, it wouldn't be a huge deal. We've been dating for months now. By the time Mai and I were this far along in our relationship, we had... umm..."

Zuko trailed off when he noticed that Anika was giving him a sharp look. He laughed nervously and reached up to rub his neck. "Aaand that's a story for another day."

"Ohhhh no. You're finishing that sentence."

"You were right, it is late." Zuko backed up to the door and tugged at the torch that slid the wall open. "Better go attend to my... err, important Fire Lord duties." With that, he ducked into the hallway and took off at a playful trot towards his bedroom.

"You get back here this instant, Zuko!" Zuko smiled to himself as he heard Anika stumble out of the room and jog after him, her state of dress clearly forgotten.

He stayed ahead of her for a couple hallways before she grabbed his forearm, tugged him to a stop, and then pushed him against the wall. She glanced up and down the corridor to make sure no one else was there before she jabbed a finger playfully at his chest."Tell me."

Zuko fixed her with a sheepish grin, then sighed in defeat. "I mean, we did some stuff, but none of that matters now. I'm dating you, and you're everything I could want and more."

"That's really smooth, highness, but-"

Zuko placed a finger over Anika's mouth mid-sentence, tilting his head to the side as he furrowed his brow in concentration. "Did you hear that?" He could've sworn that he'd heard a thump come from one of the doors on the opposite side of the corridor.

He and Anika stood and listened for a good twenty seconds before Anika whispered, "Zuko, I don't h-!"

The sentence hadn't even fully left her mouth when the door opposite to them burst open and three figures barreled towards them. They were dressed head to toe in black clothing that concealed everything but their eyes. In one smooth movement, Zuko stepped around Anika so that she was behind him and created flames in both of his palms. "ANIKA, STAY DOWN!"

He released three consecutive blasts of fire, which slammed squarely into the chests of the three attackers and sent them tumbling onto the ground. They immediately rolled back up onto their feet. The figure in the center drew a knife from their clothing before hissing, "down with the Fire Lord!"

The next thing Zuko knew, Anika was standing in front of him again, flames of her own flickering over her fists. "Uh, Zuko? I don't think they're after me!"

"I said stay down! That's an order, Anika!"

"Like hell it is!" Anika launched towards the figure in the center just as they got to their feet. The assassin lashed out with the knife, but Anika sidestepped the attack and struck back with a side kick right in the person's stomach.

" _Oof_!" The figure let out a grunt and flew back into the wall with a sickening thud. They slid to the ground, motionless.

Zuko lunged towards the larger of the two left as Anika engaged the smaller one. Zuko aimed at his opponent's head with a high, sweeping kick. The assassin ducked and punched out at his face. As he did, a fist of stone flew from his hand towards Zuko. Zuko yelped as he just barely managed to dodge the attack.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw blurs of grey slam into Anika and pin her against the wall of the corridor. She grunted and struggled against her bonds. "Zuko, careful! They're Dai Li agents!"

Zuko didn't have time to so much as blink before cold, hard clumps of stone slammed into his wrists and pinned him to the wall with his hands behind his back. Zuko threw his weight forward in an attempt to break free, but the unforgiving stone only dug deeper into his skin.

By now, the knife assassin that Anika had taken down had staggered to their feet and was walking slowly towards him. Zuko snarled and kicked out with one of his legs. A blast of scorching-hot flames spewed from his foot and towards the figure.

One of the Dai Li agents quickly used his remaining stones to secure his feet to the wall. Zuko squirmed in his constraints, but they were impossible to escape. Panting, he glared at the person with the knife as they tugged off their black mask. Long brown locks tumbled free, revealing the face of a woman in her thirties.

Anika tugged helplessly against the stones that bound her to the opposite wall. "Let... him... go!"

The woman ignored her and stepped up to Zuko, then placed the blade of her knife against his throat. "I've waited months for this moment," she hissed. "Tell me _, oh great Fire Lord,_ are you ready to breathe your last?"

Zuko swallowed hard and backed his head towards the wall to avoid being cut. "Do what you want to me," he panted, "as long as you promise to let the girl go. She has no part in this."

"She is treacherous for associating herself with the likes of you. As punishment, she will watch you die. But I am merciful. I will let her live in honor of your last request."

Zuko desperately searched his mind for something to say to buy them time. With any luck, someone had heard the commotion and would send guards to help them. "How did Ozai put you up to this?" he asked. "Money? Promises of glory?"

The woman looked like she had been slapped. "I do not work for Ozai, curse his wicked name. I'm here for justice." With that, she tugged a square of paper from somewhere in her garments and held it out for him to see. It was a picture depicting a man with a little girl on his shoulders. The girl had her arms spread over her head in glee, and the father was laughing, loving pride glowing from his face.

Zuko shook his head in confusion. "I don't understand. Who are those people?"

"'Those people' are my husband and daughter. They were my life." The woman lowered the photo, and her eyes flashed with hatred. "Three months ago, Ozai broke into our home on Ember Island. He was being chased by the authorities there, and when they got to our house, he announced that he was holding us hostage. If anyone tried to enter, he would kill us without hesitation. The soldiers were merciful. They stayed back and sent a hawk to the mainland to ask the Fire Lord what his orders were in the situation. Hours later, the hawk returned with a message. Do you want to know what it said?"

Zuko found that he couldn't breathe. It was as if all the air had been sucked from the room, leaving him empty and helpless. "But you already know the answer to that, don't you? You were the one who gave the order... the order to _enter our house anyway_. Ozai is a man of his word. He stabbed my little Lily through the heart, and when my husband attacked him in grieved fury, he killed him too."

Zuko felt like a knife had plunged into his heart and was viciously twisting itself deep into his flesh. He hadn't meant for any of this to happen. He closed his eyes as if it would help block out the terrible words. "My entire world was destroyed that night. I only had one thing left to live for: justice. I hired these retired agents and meticulously planned my attack." The woman pressed her knife back onto Zuko's throat, and Zuko opened his eyes while she finished her explanation through gritted teeth. "I'm getting my revenge."

Zuko couldn't form words to protest. Shock and regret had turned his insides to lead and stripped his mind of anything but a swirling cloud of terrible emotions.

"Don't you touch him!" Anika was still trying to struggle forward in spite of her bonds. "Ozai is the one who killed your family, not him. You don't know Zuko. He was just trying to keep his nation safe by capturing the threat as soon as possible. _Please_."

"How dare you?" The woman whirled around, stormed up to Anika, and slapped her across the face. Anika let out a little gasp as her face was turned to the side by the force of the blow. The skin of her cheek slowly turned red and blotchy. "You don't know what you're talking about. He could have ordered his men to stand down."

"And then what?!" Anika demanded. "Wait for Ozai to kill your family anyway, just because he could? Wait for him to escape and kill other families? I am truly sorry for what you've lost, but it was an impossible call with no good solution."

The woman shook her head. "All I know is that my family is dead. My daughter was six! She had her whole life ahead of-"

The woman was cut off before she could finish as guards suddenly spewed from around the corner. "A maid said she heard..." The main guard inhaled sharply, then pointed at the assassins. "Arrest those intruders!"

"No!" The woman spun towards Zuko with a crazed, murderous glare. Unlike him, Anika had never had her feet bound. Zuko watched as she swept one of her legs out and around, hitting the woman with a blast of flames from the side and knocking her to the ground.

Before the woman could climb back up, Fire Nation soldiers had swarmed over her and pinned her and her accomplices to the ground. The stones fell from Zuko's feet and wrists, but he found that his legs wouldn't support his weight. Zuko collapsed onto his knees, shaking and miserable.

The guards that weren't handling the assassins turned to him in concern. "Are you hurt, sir?"

"Fire Lord, what should we-?"

Zuko waved off his soldiers' questions. "I'm alright. Put... put them in the dungeons for now."

"As you wish, Fire Lord."

As soon as the guards had left, Anika crept to his side and put a hand on his shoulder. "Are you okay?"

"Anika, I..." Zuko took a shaky breath and got to his feet. "I'd appreciate it if you left me alone right now." Without waiting for her response, he turned and walked numbly towards his room to try to clear his thoughts.


	24. Chapter 23: Anika

_Quick warning: this chapter contains some *ahem* adult material, but it isn't intense/graphic in order to avoid a mature rating. If you'd still like to skip the steamy stuff, just stop reading when you get to the kissing. ;)_

* * *

Anika stared into the inky blackness of her room as her stomach worked itself in and out of knots. Zuko hadn't left his room since the attack this morning. He'd asked to be left alone, but she couldn't shake the feeling that he needed her.

Anika rolled over in bed and bunched her covers around her chin. She was being ridiculous. It was in the middle of the night, and Zuko was probably fast asleep. She groaned in frustration and tried to will herself to relax, but her mind refused to calm down. Anika almost felt like her brain was slamming repeatedly against her skull in exasperation.

 _Zuko. Needs. You._

 _Zuko. Needs. You._

 _Zuko. Ne-_

"Okay, fine!" Anika blurted out to the empty room as she rolled out of bed and shot to her feet. "I'll go!" She'd just make sure he was sleeping and then go back to bed. Hopefully it would be enough to silence her nagging thoughts.

Not wanting to put on clothing when she'd just have to take everything off again, Anika snatched a robe from her closet and secured it over the undergarments she had been wearing to bed. She then made her way into the hallway and through the corridors leading to Zuko's bedroom.

Anika's determined strides faltered as her eyes fell on a man outside of Zuko's doorway. She was an idiot. It only made sense that there would be a guard outside of his bedroom after an assassination attempt, but somehow the possibility had never crossed her mind.

Anika studied the man warily as she inched closer. Moonlight from a large window shed an otherworldly glow on his pale skin, jet-black beard, and Fire Nation armor. Anika felt a jolt of recognition; she knew this soldier. He was one of Zuko's preferred bodyguards. The man had been in the background on their trip to the Northern Water Tribe, and he could often be found in the Fire Lord's security detail during public events. Anika had never spoken to him personally, but she seemed to recall Zuko referring to him as Roku at one point, and the familiar name of one of Aang's past lives had stuck with her.

Anika was about to turn around and make an escape for her room when Roku straightened and lifted his spear. "Who goes there?"

Anika blushed as she hurried forward with her palms slightly raised. "I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean to disturb you."

Roku settled back into a casual standing position as his features softened with recognition. "Diplomat Anika. What brings you here?"

Anika shrugged vaguely. "Just wanted to check on Zuko." She nodded towards the closed door. "Can I?..."

Roku sighed wearily with a slight shake of his head. "I'm afraid that the Fire Lord has requested to have no visitors."

"I know. I promise to leave if he wants me to. It's just..." Anika tugged nervously at the silk sleeve of her robe. "After what happened today, I'm worried about him. He needs someone to talk to, even if he doesn't know it."

"I hear you there." The guard glanced quickly from side to side before leaning forward and murmuring confidentially, "he's refused food all day, and there were several important meetings he had scheduled that had to be postponed. It's not like him."

Roku leaned back and stroked his beard thoughtfully. "Tell you what. I'll give you ten minutes to try to make him understand that what happened was beyond his control as long as you promise to leave if he's asleep or insists on being left alone."

Anika smiled. "Deal. Thanks, Roku. I appreciate it."

Roku smiled gently in response. He reached for the doorknob, then paused. "If he gets mad, though, tell him Chan was on guard and let you in. I don't like that guy, so better he gets in trouble than me." Anika raised an eyebrow, and Roku chuckled amiably. "Just joking." With that, he eased the door open enough for Anika to slip through, then shut it behind her.

Anika leaned against its cool surface for a moment as her eyes strained to adjust to the blackness of the room. There was complete silence for several moments, and then Anika heard a soft, low groan followed by a sniff. She stiffened. Was Zuko... crying?

Anika headed for the general direction of Zuko's bed until her outstretched fingers brushed against the bedpost. She formed a ball of fire in her palm for light and gazed down at her boyfriend.

Zuko was curled into a ball with the heels of his palms pressed against his eyelids, but he let out a strangled shout at the sudden light. A hand shot out and gripped her wrist as his eyes flew open in alarm. When he realized who he was looking at, Zuko let go and slumped back onto the mattress. He brought his hands to his face to swipe at the slick tears staining his cheeks in disgruntled embarrassment.

Anika looked away to set fire to the unlit torch at Zuko's bedside, wanting to busy herself with something else while he composed himself. She had never seen Zuko like this, and she'd watched him endure a lot of things. His eyes were red and puffy, and his dark hair was a tousled mess.

Anika finished with the torch and bit her bottom lip for a moment before murmuring hesitantly, "May I?"

Zuko blushed and sheepishly grabbed her wrist. "Get in here," he mumbled, pulling her on top of him. Anika laughed softly as she moved over to lie beside him and nestled her head in the crook of his shoulder.

There were several moments of silence before she spoke, reaching over and putting her hand on his chest as she said the words. "What happened wasn't your fault, you know."

"It was." Zuko's voice was hard and bitter. "If my orders had been different, that family might still be alive."

"You're always so hard on yourself, Zu. Trying to restore your honor when the only person who'd lost it was your father. Blaming yourself when your country didn't bounce right back after a 100 year war. This. Ozai could have killed that family no matter what you did. If you had ordered the soldiers to stand down, he might have escaped and killed a lot of other people. Regardless, your father's actions are his fault and no one else's. Some things are just beyond your control."

Anika moved her free hand to Zuko's face, tenderly cupping his jaw and running her thumb across his cheek before setting her hand back down on his chest. "You may be the Fire Lord, but you're also just a human."

"I don't care. These things are going to happen during my reign as Fire Lord no matter what I try to do to prevent them, and I get that. But you have understand that I'll never be able to just brush them off. I'll never be able to not care. It hurts, but I can't help but feel like that's better than complete apathy."

Anika let out a long, slow breath. "I understand. I just... I just wish that there was something I could do to share some of the burden."

Zuko's fingers found the hand Anika had on his chest and gave it a gentle squeeze. "It's okay. Just having you here to listen makes everything a little more bearable. Believe it or not, you're pretty good at helping me get my mind off of things."

"Oh, Zuko," Anika whispered. Suddenly, she couldn't take it anymore. Pain and sympathy and love had built up inside of her, and she had to let it out somehow, had to try to take some of the pain from her boyfriend's face. She leaned forward and softly placed her lips over Zuko's in a slow, gentle kiss. At first, Zuko didn't move his mouth to meet hers, but gradually, as if something cold inside of him was warming, his lips moved in rhythm with hers to return the affection.

"Hold on." Zuko gently nudged her away with his forehead so he could get up into a sitting position. Anika lifted herself up as well, and Zuko took ahold of one of her wrists to gently tug her towards him. Anika planted her knees on either side of his legs and wrapped her arms loosely around his neck.

Zuko put his hand over the sash of her robe questioningly. "Can I?..." When Anika nodded, Zuko undid the sash and eased the silk from her shoulders so that her robe slipped from her body and onto the bed, leaving her with just her undergarments.

Anika laughed softly as she let her gaze slowly trail across Zuko's own shirtless state, the gentle slopes of his muscles accentuated in the dimmed, golden light from the torch. "I guess we're more even now."

Zuko let out a cross between a murmur and a growl in what she assumed was agreement before he brought his face to hers. Anika lost herself in the passionate kiss that followed. She reached behind Zuko's head and entwined her fingers in his soft tangle of hair as it intensified.

Zuko moved on from her lips, planting kisses along her cheek, then jaw, then neck. Anika slid her hands from his hair to down his neck and across his wide, bare shoulders. Zuko moved his hands to the small of her back before sliding them around to the skin of her stomach and slowly working his way up from there.

Anika's breath caught in her chest as he did so. His hands were hot; firebender-level hot. Parts of her sometimes involuntarily did the same in moments of emotion and passion, so she was pretty sure he didn't realize it. Her body automatically drank in the heat and dispersed it as she had learned to do.

Zuko's heat swirled all throughout her body, setting off waves of warm pleasure wherever it went. The warmth intensified and traveled up to her lungs as his hands slipped under the fabric covering her chest and explored her breasts. Before she could stop herself, she found herself breathing out a small swirl of flickering golden flames to release the built-up pressure.

Zuko pulled back slightly. He reached up and brushed a couple embers out of a small clump of singed hair as he gazed at her with a mixture of confusion and arousal.

"Your... hands," Anika gasped.

Zuko moved his hands from her body and looked down at them, puzzled, before his face dawned in realization. "Oh my spirits, I'm sorry." He paused for a few moments, then raised his now-cool hands and explored her torso with them in concern. "I didn't hurt you, did I?"

"No, the opposite. It was just a bit overwhelming."

"Well," Zuko said playfully, "the last thing I'd ever want to do is overwhelm you with my hotness." With that, he leaned forward and pulled her into another passionate kiss. As they locked lips, Zuko slid his tongue lightly against her bottom lip, then gently bit at it before coming up for air.

Anika gasped as the pause in kissing made her realize something. "Crap, Roku said I had ten minutes. I better get going."

Zuko tilted his head in bewilderment. "My great-grandfather said?... Oh! You mean the guard." Zuko shrugged. "I doubt he's keeping track. The walls and door are pretty damn sound-proof, too."

Now it was Anika's turn to tilt her head. "Why does that matter?"

"Good question. It's not easy to answer in words, so..." Zuko playfully pushed Anika onto her back on the soft matress and stooped over her with his arms planted on either side of her face. Zuko's knee slid in between hers and nudged them gently apart as his fingers trailed down the center of her torso, leaving traces of warm pleasure behind them that had nothing to do with bending. They hooked themselves on the top of her underwear, then paused as he murmured in a low voice, "maybe I could demonstrate instead."

Anika gazed up into Zuko's golden eyes, suddenly wanting nothing more. "Show me."

A coy smile broke over Zuko's face before he stooped his head down and kissed her deeply. When he spoke next, the pleasant warmth of his breath and the slight brush of his mouth against hers sent tingles of pleasure through her lips and out across the rest of her body.

"I was hoping you'd say that."


	25. Epilogue: Zuko

_So here we are at the final, 25th part. Be warned: I went the cliché route for the ending. What can I say? The heart wants what it wants. :P It's been a wild ride, and I'm so grateful that you guys stuck around for it. You have my sincere gratitude for helping make this story what it has become. Special shout-out to Atlafan1286 for never failing to brighten my day with a comment. You rock. :)_

 _-Eight years later-_

Zuko paced back and forth in front of the looming forest, listening intently for any sound of his dragon. Nothing. He was just about to raise two fingers to his mouth and whistle for Druk to return to the clearing when he was distracted by a long, bored sigh from Toph.

"Remind me again why you dragged all of us out here, Twinkle Toes," Toph growled as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"Rabid cobra wolves have been terrorizing this area of the earth kingdom, and the local authorities have been unable to get rid of them," Aang explained.

"That's what I thought. I was just wondering if I had been misinformed, considering I haven't sensed a single cobra wolf yet."

"That's because they're in there," Sokka pointed to the thick forest in front of them with his sword blade, "and we're out here. That's why Druk went in to herd them out into the open. But you already knew that, Rockhead."

"Yeah, just thought I'd make you guys explain again since you haven't brought up any better topics. No offense, but you three dudes suck at interesting discussions. We need the rest of the group to keep the conversation going." Toph put her hands on her hips. "Speaking of which, where are they? Aang, Zuko, you two better have good explanations."

Aang sighed wearily. "Bumi is running a fever, so Katara stayed behind to make sure he's doing alright."

"Of course _she_ stayed behind. Sexist, much?"

Aang blinked. "What? That doesn't have anything to do with it! She's the healer, not me, and she's way better at deciphering two-year-old gibberish."

"Yeah, 'cuz you're too sexist to try to learn," Toph retorted.

Aang rubbed his eyes with a long-suffering sigh. "I'm not having this argument."

"Thought so," Toph said with a satisfied smirk. Her arm shot out to point at Zuko. "What's your excuse, Highness?"

Zuko threw his hands into the air. "Flying hog monkeys, Toph! Anika is eight months pregnant! She can't go around battling rabid cobra wolves."

"Why not?" Toph demanded. "I would."

Sokka shook his head teasingly. "I fear for your future children."

"Don't lose any sleep over it, Meathead," Toph shot back. "I'm not having any. I'll leave the diaper-changing to you losers."

"Suuure," Sokka crooned. "I don't know, I can see you as mommy Toph someday... how are things going with you and that Kanto guy?"

"None of your busi-"

"Look alive, everyone!" Aang interrupted. "I can hear them coming!"

Zuko backed up so that he was in a straight line with the rest of his friends, listening intently. Sure enough, a dull roar that could occasionally be separated into individual growls, yelps, and agitated hisses was emitting from the forest.

Zuko reached his arms behind him and gripped the handles of his duel broadswords. They slid from their sheaths with a crisp, metallic shhing. Zuko sliced them experimentally through the air, smiling as the swords swooped flawlessly with practiced precision. "Bring it."

The words had barely left his mouth when a group of about twenty cobra wolves burst into the clearing. They looked like a more deadly version of an eel hound, but thankfully only waist-height. Patches of matted grey fur grew sporadically between their leathery scales, and their red eyes held a bloodthirsty gleam. Two fangs jutted out from their foaming mouths, and Zuko couldn't help but feel a sharp jolt of terror as the larger, more aggressive-looking cobra wolves immediately sprinted towards his group of friends.

One of them lunged towards him, its foaming mouth wide open for a bite. Zuko lunged forward to meet the beast, embedding his swords into the exposed chest of the cobra wolf as he did so. He thrust them back out with a spray of sticky black blood.

"Zuko!" Zuko didn't even have time to move as Toph let out a shout and shards of earth zipped past his head to slam into a second cobra wolf. Zuko turned his head and realized that it had almost bit into his neck.

He backed up, panting from the adrenaline pulsing through his body. "Thanks, Toph."

"Don't mention it."

"You saved my—"

"No, seriously, don't mention it." Toph raised a boulder-shaped hunk of earth from in the ground bedside her and crushed three cobra wolves with it. "We need to focus on killing these things."

"Right." Zuko glanced over at the Avatar as he slashed into another attacking cobra wolf. To his surprise, Aang was knocking the wolves back with blasts of air instead of taking them down. Zuko groaned. "Aang, if you don't start killing these things, they're going to be killing us."

Aang blew a funnel of air in the face of another beast, sending it tumbling backwards. "All life is sacred, Zuko."

"All life is-? They're rabid cobra wolves, Aang! RABID COBRA WOLVES."

"Cut the guy some slack," Sokka panted as he sliced his sword across the neck of a cobra wolf, killing it instantly. "Your dad is like ten times worse than these cute little fellas, and Aang spared him."

"Ooooh." Toph paused in her earthbending to give Sokka a high-five. "Nice one."

Sokka grinned. "I try."

Zuko rolled his eyes. "When are you guys going to stop with the dad insults?"

"Your dad was a psycho who tried to destroy the world as we know it. You don't get that kind of roast information every day," Sokka teased. "Let's just hope you're better daddy material than your old man."

Zuko flinched involuntarily and stabbed the next cobra wolf that lunged at him straight through the heart with so much force that its corpse got stuck to the sword. Zuko planted a foot against it's scaly body and jerked the sword free with shaking hands. What Sokka had meant as playful banter had hit too close to home. What if he wasn't a good dad? Ozai had poisoned his only experience of having a father. What if he became the kind of abusive monster his father had been?

Aang must have noticed the haunted expression on his friend's face, because he cleared his throat. "Not that Zuko's nervous, but two years ago when I was about to become a first-time father, I was terrified. Air nomads aren't exactly known for being devoted parents. I was raised by monks and never had a traditional family unit. It never bothered me because that's just the way things worked, but it made me unsure of my ability to be a good father. Zuko's going to do great. I mean, he was practically raised by Iroh during his banishment, and there aren't many better father figures out there than him."

Zuko took a deep breath and felt his nerves ebb somewhat. "Thanks, Aan-"

 **"Fire Lord Zuko!"** Zuko's head instantly snapped towards the urgent voice, and his gaze landed on a man riding an eel hound. "We've just received a messenger hawk from the Fire Nation Capital. You're needed at the palace!"

"Why?" Zuko barked as he sliced at a cobra wolf. "What's the matter?"

"It's your wife, sir." Zuko's heart turned to ice in his chest, and his broadswords fell from his hands in shock. Toph thrust a fist into the air, and a wall of earth rose between their group and the cobra wolves as every head turned to stare at the messenger.

"What's wrong with Anika?" Zuko asked.

"She's gone into labor."

"B-but..." The blood drained from Zuko's face as his mind spun wildly, trying to make sense of the situation. "She's not due for another month."

The messenger wrung his hands. "The message said that she had suffered a fall. It seems to have started childbirth earlier than expected."

Just then, a cobra wolf burst through a weak spot in the earth wall, teeth barred and venom dripping from its gleaming fangs. Three others followed from behind the first. Sokka turned and sliced one of the beasts in half, his face hard and tense. "Zuko! Get out of here, now!"

Zuko didn't need to be told twice. He sprinted from the group and raised two fingers to his mouth, then sounded a long, sharp whistle. A blur of red rose from behind the trees and swooped down to fly steadily beside him. Zuko leapt sideways and landed on Druk's back. He gripped his dragon's mane and leaned forward to talk to him. "Home, Druk. Take us home as fast as you can."

"Rrrrrk!" Druk roared in understanding and soared high into the sky. Zuko grit his teeth as he did a few calculations in his head. It had taken him four hours to get from the Fire Nation Capital to this part of the earth kingdom on Druk, and it would take a messenger bird even longer. That meant that Anika had gone into labor hours ago, and he wouldn't get there for hours more. He cursed under his breath at the shitty set of circumstances. He'd imagined being by Anika's side when she delivered their child, not missing everything. What if something terrible happened? What if the baby didn't make it, or what if Anika died in childbirth?

 _No_. Zuko shook his head and forced the thoughts from his mind. Anika would be fine, and so would the baby. They had to be. Zuko settled in for a long ride and spent the next few hours in tortured anxiety.

To his surprise, it was only two hours before he set his eyes on the familiar silhouette of the Fire Nation Capital. Druk had sensed his master's urgency and had somehow managed to fly so swiftly that he cut the time in half. Zuko stroked his dragon's neck as the beast flew over the palace. "Thank you, Druk." His companion rumbled contentedly in reply as he landed lightly on the courtyard in front of the palace.

Zuko leapt from his back and sprinted into the palace, heading for the small medical ward where he assumed Anika was. The servants in the hallways all stopped what they were doing to stare at him as he passed by, beaming in a way that helped ease some of the frantic panic inside of him. Snatches of phrases like, "congratulations" and "healthy baby girl" fell on his ears like cleansing water on a wound. He had a baby girl, and she was alive and well! He was a father! He was—Zuko's ecstatic thoughts ground to a halt as he made it to his destination. They hadn't said anything about Anika being okay. What if?...

He pushed open the door to the ward, only to be greeted with a collective cheer from the doctors, sages, and servants inside. Zuko ignored the various calls of merriment and congratulations as he made his way to the only thing he was capable of noticing in the room: his wife, holding a small blanketed bundle in her arms. She smiled up at him as he approached, happiness glowing in her exhausted eyes.

Zuko anxiously searched her for signs of something wrong as he reached forward and rubbed her arm in concern. Damp strands of hair clung to the sides of her tired-looking face, but somehow she still managed to look more beautiful than he'd ever seen her. "Are you alright?"

"I'm _fine_." Anika smiled at him reassuringly, then asked, "would you like to hold her?"

Zuko's eyes widened, and he swallowed hard with a slight shake of his head. "I-I don't want to hurt her. How do I?..."

Anika laughed softly and held out the tiny bundle. "Just be gentle and support her head. You'll do fine."

Zuko held his breath as he gingerly took his child and pulled her into his arms. The baby girl whimpered faintly during the transition, and she splayed out her impossibly tiny fingers before settling in. Zuko's heart swelled in his chest as he gazed down at her perfect, tiny features. It seemed impossible that he had played a part in creating this living, breathing human with her little nose, tiny mouth, fluffy tuft of soft, jet-black hair... Her little eyelashes fluttered open, and Zuko found himself gazing into bright, golden eyes that mirrored his own.

Tears began to build behind his eyes as it really hit him for the first time: this was his daughter. _His daughter._ He was suddenly filled with a warm, all-consuming, unconditional love like he'd never experienced before. He loved Anika with all his heart and soul, but this type of love was something new. Something proud, pure, and protective. Something-

Zuko was torn from his thoughts as a sage cleared his throat. "Fire Lord Zuko, the sages have studied your heir, and we have determined that she most likely has the spark, but it's not as strong as would be ideal. We're sorry. We remind you, however, that it's not the end of the world. She could still grow to be a-"

Zuko cut off the sage's statement with a laugh as he brought his gaze back down to his daughter, completely flawless in his eyes. "Like father like daughter, I suppose. I didn't have the spark at all when I was born." Zuko reached up with a single finger and traced it across his daughter's impossibly soft cheek. "I don't care if she grows up to be the most powerful firebender in the world or if she can't bend at all." Zuko sat down on the edge of the bed and turned to his wife, locking his gaze with Anika's as he said his next words. "She's perfect."

"Yes, I thought you might say that," the sage said, his normally matter-of-fact tone suddenly gentle and warm. "We will leave you two, then. I and the rest of the Fire Sages wish you all the happiness this world has to give." With that the sages filed out, and everyone but a few lingering doctors followed them to give the couple their space.

Zuko gently placed the baby back into his wife's arms. "Now we just need a name," Anika murmured.

"I've been thinking about that," Zuko said. "How about Izumi?"

Anika looked at their daughter thoughtfully. "Izumi... it suits her. What made you think of it?"

"It means fountain, or water. If it's okay with you, I'd like to name her in honor of the important Water Tribe people in my life: the guy who became my first real friend my own age, the healer who saved both of our lives at different points..." Zuko's throat tightened with emotion, but he cleared it and managed to murmur, "and the woman who guided me through some of the darkest times of my life, who I also happen to be madly in love with."

Anika waved off his words with an ezasperated roll of her eyes. "I just pushed a human out of me, Zuko. I'm too exhausted for your romance."

Zuko smiled as he watched a happy, flustered blush color her cheeks all the same. He could still coax them out of her after years of being together, and he loved her for it. "You can brush me off all you want. I still love you."

Anika smiled contentedly, then replied, "I love you t..." Anika let out a yawn before continuing, "too, you dork."

Zuko winked playfully. "Ahh, but could a dork make this perfect of a baby?"

"Pfft, I did all the hard stuff." As if to make her point, Anika released another sleepy yawn.

Zuko nodded in agreement. "That you did. You need rest." He leaned forward and planted a soft kiss on Anika's forehead, then gathered their sleeping daughter into his arms and settled into the chair beside the bed. "Go to sleep; We'll be right here."

"But what if she needs..."

"Shhh, sleep. She'll be fine; her dad's holding her."

Anika smiled teasingly as she settled down onto the bed. "That's what I'm afraid of." By the time Zuko thought of a witty comeback, Anika was fast asleep.

Zuko held the warm, softly breathing bundle that was his daughter securely in his arms as the gentle, familiar snores Anika only made when she was absolutely exhausted floated fondly to his ears. An intense, glowing happiness he'd never thought was possible spread from his heart to every atom in his being. In that moment, Zuko understood love on its purest, most basic form. For the first time, he felt—without anything to cloud it—the love between a couple, between a parent and their child, between people and the things they hold dear.

The force that everyone knows to some degree.

The passion that makes us human.

The fire within us.


End file.
